Baseball

Parents, if your baseball athlete is currently doing a weighted or underweighted throwing program, please do your child a favor and ask the coach or team what their inclusion criteria is, and what red flags they are assessing for.

If the coach (at a bare minimum) can’t:

1. tell you what an acceptable g.h external range is

Or

2. can’t explain a shutdown protocol for inadequate g.h internal rotation

Or

3. is not monitoring changes in shoulder horizontal adduction

I would suggest you reconsider the program.

Simply hiring a qualified practitioner to test at the beginning of a program, without red flagging and discluding athletes with certain restrictions to participate is irresponsible. Furthermore, bi-weekly reassessments need to be performed to determine inclusion. If shortcuts are taken the rate of injury will increase.

Baseball is very unique as it places a high degree of stress on certain musculoskeletal structures. Weighted and underweighted throwing will add even more stress and load, which can be catastrophic at the wrong time. Therefore athletes bodies need to be physiologically ready to handle these supplemental stressors.

Prime’ is a supporter of weighted and underweight throwing, at the right time, and for certain players that meet the inclusion criteria. However, these programs need to be directed and overseen by a medical professional.