THE KIDS ARM CARE PROGRAM

Developed for The Kids using selected elements from various collegiate baseball arm care programs and published arm care literature.

WARM UP

    1. High Knees

    2. Butt-Kickers

    3. Frankenstein

    4. Walking Lunges

    5. Shuffles

    6. Carioca

    7. Spiderman

    8. Backwards Run

    9. Cherry-Pickers

    10. Sprints x3 (50%, 75%, Full Speed)

    1. Small Arm Circles (forward and backward)

    2. Large Arm Circles (forward and backward)

    3. Huggers / Open Arms

    4. Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down

    5. Wring the Towel (arms out to the sides in a tee with one palm up and one palm down. alternate twisting)

    6. Rotator Cuff Stretch (bend at torso with arms hanging downward. move arms in small circles clockwise, then counterclockwise)

    7. Deltoid Stretch (15 seconds each)

    8. Triceps Stretch (15 seconds each)

    9. Kneeling Heel-to-Butt or Quad Stretch (15 seconds each)

    10. Lying Figure 4 (15 seconds each)

PITCHER’S AFTER CARE

    • Do not ice unless there is specific pain

    • Jog at 60% intensity for 5-10 minutes

    • Massage (or use tennis ball or foam roller)

      • Forearms

      • Triceps

      • Rear deltoids

      • Hip flexors

    • Sleeper Stretch - 30 seconds, throwing shoulder only

    • Wall Triceps Stretch - 30 seconds each

    • Wrist Flexors Stretch - 30 seconds each

    • Wrist Extensors Stretch - 30 seconds each

    • Levator Scapulae Stretch - 15 seconds each

    • SCM Stretch - 15 seconds each

    All are explained in more detail below.

    • Eat carbohydrates and proteins

    • Drink water and electrolytes

PROBLEMS?

    • Muscles are responsible for acceleration

    • Pitcher may not be warming up enough, pitching too much or over-throwing

    • Associated with rotator cuff injury

    • Muscles are responsible for deceleration

    • Pitcher may not be following through or

    • Decelerator muscles may need strengthening

    • Soreness for more than 2 days

    • Pain/Soreness in inner elbow (could indicate too many pitches thrown)

    • Pain on a regular basis after pitching

PITCHING STRETCHES (EXPLAINED)

SLEEPER STRETCH

30 seconds, throwing shoulder only

Be sure to keep the shoulder blade locked down and back as you perform this movement. If you can touch your hand to the ground, you are not doing it correctly. Head support is very important - so if you’re at the field, just put a ball in your glove and use that.

WALL TRICEPS STRETCH

30 seconds, each side

WRIST FLEXORS STRETCH

30 seconds each

WRIST EXTENSORS STRETCH

30 seconds each

LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH

15 seconds / side

SCM STRETCH

15 seconds / side