The Overhead Athlete: Must Add Exercises for Injury Prevention

Overhead athletes, such as baseball players, swimmers, and volleyball players, put immense strain on their shoulders, upper back, and core muscles during sport. As a Physiotherapist, I commonly see overhead athletes in the clinic for a multitude of acute and chronic shoulder injuries. Very commonly these injuries are a consequence of an insufficient amount of mobility and strength to keep up with the overhead demands of their sport. To stay at the top of their game and prevent injuries, these athletes must engage in specific exercises that target their unique set of muscle groups. In this blog post we will outline 3 easy exercises to include in your warmup and workout routine to help you to improve performance, prevent injuries, and maintain shoulder health!

1. Cable single Arm face pull (90/90)

Benefit: This exercise helps to improve the strength of the shoulder blade retractors and shoulder external rotators. These muscles that are essential for stabilizing overhead as well as decelerating forces during the end of a swing.

How to perform: set up with a resistance band tied to a solid structure. With one arm, pull the band back like you are preparing to throw a ball. Stop when the hand is directly over your elbow and your elbow is in line with your shoulder. Neither your hand nor elbow should go behind your body. your shoulder does not shrug up at any point.

Frequency: 10-20 repetitions/side. 1-2 sets as a warmup before sport or perform 3-4 sets 2x/week during workouts.

2. Repeated overhead wall bounces  

Benefit: This exercise trains proper shoulder and core mechanics in the overhead position. It also helps to improve the coordination and endurance of stabilizing muscles.

How to perform: set up approximately 3-4 inches away from a wall, holding a ball with good bounce (volleyball or basketball will be most ideal). With the ball in your hand in a FULLY overhead position, repeatedly bounce the ball approximately 4-6 inches from the wall. Start slow, trying to progressively increase the speed so that the ball is spending as little time as possible in your hand before it is sent back to the wall. Try to stay as tall as possible, minimizing the amount of extension in the lower back.

Frequency: 20-30 seconds/side. 1-2 sets as a warmup before sport or 2-3 sets between exercises during workouts 2 times/week.

3. Dumbbell waiter carry

Benefit: This exercise helps to train the proper scapular position of the athlete while also developing strength of the shoulder and scapular stabilizer muscles.

How to perform: with one hand, hold a dumbbell up in a carrying position (like how a waiter would carry a plate of food). Your wrist should be directly above your elbow. your elbow should be at or slightly below the height of your shoulder and oriented slightly away from the front of your body. Now walk around the room while maintaining this position. Ensure that your shoulder stays down (you should not shrug) and your elbow doesn’t drop from this position.

Frequency: 30-60 seconds/side. Perform 2-3 sets at the beginning or end of your workout 2-3 times/week.

If you’re interested in rehabbing from a current shoulder injury or looking for more tools to prevent an injury, you can book a detailed one-on-one assessment with one of our expert Anchor Physiotherapists here