Throwing is one of the most demanding movements in sport. Whether it is baseball, softball, football, javelin, or even tennis, the act of throwing places enormous stress on the shoulder and elbow. The arm is moving at extremely high speeds while transferring energy from the legs and trunk through a small and very unstable joint.
Because of this, throwing athletes in Colorado Springs experience some of the highest rates of overuse injuries. The shoulder and elbow are often the joints that hurt, but the problem is rarely isolated to those joints alone. Throwing is a full body movement, and the ability to generate and absorb force throughout the entire kinetic chain determines both performance and injury.
Strength training near Colorado Springs maximizes our ability to generate and control force, so it is critical for both protecting throwing athletes from injury and helping them perform at a higher level.
At least I got a nice picture for all my pain!
Common Injuries in Throwing Athletes
Throwing injuries typically develop from a combination of throwing at high velocity, with high repetition, and with inadequate tissue capacity. When the forces produced during throwing exceed what the body can tolerate, the tissues around the shoulder and elbow begin to break down. This is when physical therapy in Colorado Springs can come into play.
Some of the most common injuries seen in throwing athletes include:
Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Injuries
The UCL stabilizes the inside of the elbow during throwing. During the late cocking and acceleration phases of throwing, enormous valgus forces occur at the elbow. Repeated exposure to these forces can lead to ligament irritation, partial tearing, or complete rupture. This is the injury most commonly associated with Tommy John surgery. Pitchers are often most affected by this due to how frequently and intensely they throw.
Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy or Tears
The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that help stabilize the shoulder during high speed movement. They are most involved with deceleration of the arm after the ball is released. Because they are responsible for slowing the arm down after extremely fast motions, they are exposed to large eccentric forces, which creates the highest chance for strains or tears.
Labral Injuries
The labrum helps stabilize the shoulder joint by increasing the depth of the ball and socket joint. Repetitive overhead throwing can place significant traction and rotational stress on this structure, particularly in athletes who lack adequate strength or control elsewhere in the chain.
Throwing Is a Full Body Movement
Many athletes think of throwing as an arm activity. In reality, the arm is the final link in a chain that begins at the ground.
Force starts in the legs with a step, transfers through the hips and trunk, and is then delivered through the shoulder and elbow. When the lower body and trunk cannot generate or transfer force effectively, the arm must work harder to produce velocity. This increases stress on the tissues of the shoulder and elbow.
Strength training helps distribute that load more efficiently across the entire body. A strong lower body, powerful hips, and a stable trunk allow athletes to generate more force without overloading the arm.
Strength Training Helps Reduce Injury Risk
One of the most important benefits of strength training for throwing athletes is the ability to increase tissue capacity. Tendons, ligaments, and muscles adapt to load. Strengthening the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers improves shoulder stability during the throwing motion. Strengthening the posterior chain and trunk improves force transfer and reduces unnecessary stress on the arm.
This matters because many throwing injuries in Colorado Springs occur when the demands of throwing exceed what the athlete’s body is prepared to tolerate. In many cases, athletes who begin to develop early symptoms can avoid surgery entirely by improving strength, mechanics, and load management. When tissues become stronger and better able to handle stress, pain often decreases and performance improves.
Strength Training Can Improve Throwing Velocity
Strength training near Colorado Springs does not only protect athletes, it improves performance.
Throwing velocity is largely determined by how effectively an athlete can generate and transfer force through the kinetic chain. The stronger and more explosive the lower body and trunk are, the more energy can be transferred to the arm during the throw. Research in baseball pitchers has shown strong relationships between lower body power, trunk rotation strength, and throwing velocity.
It’s not a revolutionary concept, but it is worth stating regardless.
Key Areas to Strengthen
It is not hard to understand that being stronger makes better athletes, but knowing what to work on is another story entirely. While the entire body contributes to throwing performance, several areas are particularly important.
Rotator Cuff
As mentioned before, the rotator cuff muscles are most important for controlling the deceleration phase of throwing.
My favorite exercises that target these muscles include:
- Sidelying ER with dumbbells
- Face pulls/ER at 9090
- Prone shoulder external rotation with plyo ball juggles
- Reverse fly’s
These exercises are often performed with lighter loads and higher control to build endurance and stability. 3 sets of 15-20 or until tired is a good place to start.
Scapular Stabilizers
The muscles that control the shoulder blade help position the shoulder joint during overhead movement.
Useful exercises include:
- Prone Y and T raises if you have poor control.
- Heavy barbell/dumbbell rows
- Pull ups/scapular pull ups
- Face pulls (again)
- Scapular push ups, with progressions to single arm plank variations
Posterior Chain
The glutes and hamstrings generate much of the force that begins the throwing motion.
Effective exercises include:
- Deadlifts (go heavy!)
- Hip thrusts
- Romanian deadlifts
- Kettlebell swings
Improving posterior chain strength helps reduce the amount of force the arm must generate independently.
Trunk Rotation and Stability
The trunk plays a key role in transferring energy from the lower body to the upper body.
Helpful exercises include:
- Medicine ball rotational throws
- Pallof presses
- Single arm planks with trunk twist
- Cable rotations
- Shoulder PNFs with rotation
These movements help develop both rotational power and stability.
Anterior Chain Strength
Anterior leg strength is one of the most overlooked components of throwing performance.
Important exercises include:
- Squats
- Split squats
- Step ups
- Lunges
Stronger legs allow athletes to generate more force from the ground and transfer it through the body.
Final Thoughts
Throwing athletes in Colorado Springs are often focused on practicing the skill associated with their sport. While skill work is important, relying on throwing alone to build resilience is not enough. Strength training builds the capacity needed to tolerate the intense demands of throwing.
When athletes near Colorado Springs develop stronger rotator cuff muscles, more stable shoulder blades, powerful hips, and a resilient trunk, they reduce stress on vulnerable structures like the UCL and labrum. This not only lowers injury risk but also allows athletes to generate more force and throw at higher velocities.
The goal of strength training in Colorado Springs is not just to lift weights. It is to build a body that can handle the stresses of throwing repeatedly without breaking down. For throwing athletes who want to stay healthy and perform at a high level, strength training is essential.
If you are looking for help throwing without pain, or just want to increase your max speed, consider scheduling an appointment with a sports physical therapist in Colorado Springs who treats athletes like you every day.
We proudly serve active individuals in Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Briargate, Falcon, Rockrimmon, and surrounding areas.
📞 Call us today or 📧 book your evaluation to get started with Physical Therapy near Colorado Springs: (719) 285-9670
