11/02/2022
Return-to-Throw is far more complex than just picking up a baseball and throwing “X” feet. Understanding the many factors at play here can really help athletes navigate this hard time in their athletic career.
Physical - The rehab process prepares the tissue to handle throwing and ensures the integrity of any surgery. But nothing truly prepares the arm for the initial shock of throwing again. You’re going to deal with tightness, discomfort, and probably some pain. But it’s important to understand this is normal, and you’re body will adapt again.
Mental - The biggest obstacle in early stage RTT is the mental component of injury. You spend 3-6 months solely focusing on your arm in rehab, and when you first pick that ball up again it’s 100% normal to be nervous and scared of throwing. The body also recognizes it as an action that created significant injury and emotional stress and will do its best to protect from re-injury. It may even send pain signals to the site of injury even when there is no tissue irritation, simply because the body and mind associates throwing with pain. It’s very common for there to be a lack of trust in the arm, to be hyper aware of every movement it does when throwing, and to be completely out of sync with your mechanics. Regaining trust in your arm, realizing it’s okay, and relaxing into your throwing mechanics is a huge component we don’t talk about enough and won’t be solved by a copy and pasted interval throwing plan.
Social - Being removed from your day-to-day training, watching others train and do what you want to be able to do, losing some of the social interactions involved with being an athlete can take its toll. There’s a lot of emotional stress that can build here that impacts a RTT. Having a support network and finding ways to keep spirits high with your peers can be a huge outlet for guys during this period.
