The shoulder is a very mobile joint, which helps in our day-to-day lives, but the downside to this is it is not as stable as other joints and therefore prone to injury. Prevention is an important part of any treatment process in order to make sure the injury does not happen again.
Keeping the shoulder joint healthy and strong will not only help the initial injury heal quicker but will set the patient up for success in the future. The SHIPP, or Shoulder Injury Prevention Program, is an example of a program that is designed to reduce the risk of shoulder injuries and assist the patient in maintaining range of motion, strength, coordination and neuromuscular control. It includes an active warm-up and strength and conditioning work among other things. Sport-specific drills are included in the warm-up, such as this throwing drill for a pitcher.
Advanced strength exercises include press downs, which strengthen the shoulder extensors, and wall walking, which strengthens the rotator cuff muscles. A stretch for the shoulders and chest is having the patient lying on their back and rotating their trunk to one side. Plyometrics, or jumping exercises, improve muscle power for those wanting to get back into sport. This exercise is the wood chop and it strengthens the abdominals dynamically. This exercise is another advanced throwing exercise for throwing athletes.