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Tommy John is the eponym for the surgical procedure performed to reconstruct the medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) on the inner aspect of the elbow. This procedure was first conceived of by LA Dodgers team orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Frank Jobe, in 1974 on Dodgers baseball pitcher Tommy John. Tommy John was able to resume pitching for the Dodgers 18 months later, in 1976. He continued 14 more successful seasons on various teams until retirement in 1989, with 164 wins after surgery. Although Tommy John failed to be elected to the … Continue Reading

If you are over 30 years old, chances are greater than 30% at one time or another you have experienced some type of shoulder discomfort. All human beings can relate to whether it was a transient sting in the shoulder after a sudden tug or fall, or a lingering nagging ache that just does not seem to go away. You don’t have to be an athlete to experience shoulder pain. Second to back pain, shoulder pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem seen by health care professionals in this country. … Continue Reading

The ability to catch a wave is to get into position for that wave. Getting to that sweet spot is predicated on the ability to paddle to that spot. However, the ability to paddle is dependent upon shoulder power and maneuverability. ShoulderSphere movement-simulation functional rotator cuff strengthening technique is the most effective and efficient way to train the power required by the rotator cuff muscles to stabilize the shoulder while allowing rapid acceleration and deceleration multidirectional movements demanded when paddling to that sweet spot. Elastic bands and dumbbells are used … Continue Reading

The Problem The Holy Grail for MLB teams is the 100 mph pitch. Once a luxury, now a necessity. In fact, probably each MLB team has one flame-hurler who can dazzle the crowd with such a performance. Spectators used to be awed by home runs, now their eyes are glued on the stadium radar gun reading of a 100-mph pitch as the slam dunk of baseball everyone wants to see. No less impressive are those laser projectile throws by positional players, sometimes in midair under compromised body positions. Baseball is … Continue Reading

Competitive sports place supra-physiologic loads on the shoulder. Just by simply raising the arm up from the side of the body to reach overhead, 2the rotator cuff is encountering a force nearly equivalent of one’s own body weight due to bio-mechanical forces across the shoulder joint. In extraordinary stressful events such as power lifting, the rotator cuff may face up to more than 7 times body weight. Elite baseball pitchers may experience a distraction force of over 200 pounds in the shoulder after the ball is thrown. Professional male tournament … Continue Reading

Exercise should be goal oriented, efficient, and effective. Shoulder exercises commonly employ weight training. These exercises comprise one of four linear motions – push, pull, lift, and press. Something has to give when two opposing forces meet. The weight ( e.g. barbell) will move if the shoulder is strong. If the weight is overpowering, the shoulder gives way , resulting in injury. Shoulders fail due to weaker small rotator cuff muscles unable to stabilize the shoulder joint under stress. The importance of well-engaged rotator cuff muscles cannot be over emphasized, … Continue Reading

Shoulder injuries can occur in one of two ways. Those related to recreational activity and those not related to recreational activity. Non-recreational injuries such as trauma or accidents are unpredictable and difficult to prevent. We can , however, prepare our shoulders to minimize recreational-activity related injuries. More than 25% of all patients seeking medical help each year due to shoulder pain sustained injuries in the gym or in the sports arena. More than 20 % of all sports injuries involve the shoulder. After knee injuries , which is the most … Continue Reading

The shoulder is one of the most commonly injured joints in the body. This is due to the complex arrangement of the surrounding ligaments and tendon muscle groups that are needed for, first , stabilization of the joint, and second, for providing a coordinated movement of the shoulder at varying velocities of acceleration and deceleration. Unlike the hip joint, which includes a bony socket for stable support, the shoulder lacks a bony socket and relies solely on the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments for support and stabilization. The rotator cuff … Continue Reading

The graceful backhand by tennis great Roger Federer, the intimidating sizzling fastball by Nolan Ryan, and the effortless execution for a perfect 10.0 on the uneven bars routine by Nadia Comaneci all epitomize impeccable performances of skill and perfection of unparalleled proprioception at5a work. Proprioception is how the body moves. How the body moves is the summation of how the brain controls and adjusts movements in the body; It is reflex and coordination. All movements for our daily functional activities require proprioception. From the basic task of walking to fine … Continue Reading

Nothing is static; nothing is absolute. Pieces make up the whole; equilibrium of the whole is harmony. For every force, there is an equal and opposite force. The shoulder is the most mobile of all the joints in the body. Mobility is sacrificed for stability. The hip, while being much less mobile , is in turn much more stable. These exemplify the opposites of the Yin and the Yang. Power muscle groups that move the shoulder do not provide stability; stabilizing muscle groups for the shoulder do not provide power. … Continue Reading