THROWING

Kinetic chain
Overhead throwing activities is achieved
through activation of kinetic chain.
Kinetic chain is referred to as the multiple
segments of body that allows transfer of forces.
Core and lower extremities act as a BOS & the
energy generated is transferred to the throwing
arm and hand and finally releasing the ball.
Phases of throwing
 Wind up
 Stride
 Arm cocking
 Acceleration
 Deceleration
 Follow through
Wind up
Begins with bilateral limb stance and then body
weight is shifted to the single limb(back leg).
Upper body and trunk rotates 90 degrees and is
coordinated by flexion of the leading limb
It is achieved by concentric contraction of ilio psoas,
rectus femoris, pectineus and sartorius
Stance leg maintains the position of balance with
slight knee flexion and stance limb hip abductors
such as TFL, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.
Shoulders are in flexed and abducted position by
activation of anterior and middle deltoid,
supraspinatus and pectoralis major.
In this phase dynamic activity of upper limb is
minimal and small amount of potential energy is
generated with the elevation of the leading leg
Stride
In this phase the thrower starts generating linear
velocity towards the target by moving the leading
limb forward in conjunction with lowering of COG
due to eccentric contraction of hip flexors of stance
limb.
 Forward motion of the body is initiated by stance
hip abductors and further propelled by knee and
hip extension.
 Stance leg goes in to internal rotation and leading leg
goes into external rotation in the air.
 Upper extremity also starts functioning as shoulder goes
into abduction and external rotation by activity of
supraspinatus and deltoid. Upper trapezius and serratus
anterior causes upward rotation of scapula
 The leading leg and the throwing arm works in
synchronisation as the leading foot touches the ground
the throwing goes into abducted and semi cocked
position
 This position produces maximum energy as the
whole body is stretched and produces elastic
energy
 The leading leg also produces kinetic energy as it
moves forward and closer to thetarget.
Cocking
 Itbegins with when the leading limb touching the
ground
 In this phase quadriceps of the stride leg contracts
eccentrically to decelerate the knee flexion and
contacts isometrically to stabilize the stride leg.
 Once the leg is stabilised pelvic rotation occurs
towards the target followed by lumbar spine
hyperextension and torso rotation
 Elbow goes into flexion and shoulder into ER. As
the shoulder approaches 90º abduction, it begins to
rotate towards maximum external rotation.
Shoulder is 15- 20º horizontally abducted at
maximum ER.
 The extreme rotational velocity creates large
forces on the anterior GH joint which are balanced
by rotator cuff muscles (subscapularis muscle is
activated first even before the throwing ball ER
and also increases tension in middle and inferior
GH ligaments).
 As the shoulder reaches MER, subscapularis,
latissimus dorsi contracts eccentrically to control the
motion.
 Scapula is positioned in maximum external
rotation(retraction) and upward rotation and posterior
tilt by activity of levator scapulae, serratus anterior,
trapezius, rhomboids and pectoralis minor.
 Repetitive throwing results in increase in ER and
deficit in GH joint IR resulting in alteration in bony,
capsuloligamentous and muscular structures.
 Excessive ER results in superior labrum tears,
rotator cuff impingement and also increases valgus
forces at the elbow
Acceleration
 Itstarts with shoulder MER, triceps, pectoralis
major, latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior
contracts concentrically to reverse the action.
 Elbow extension also occurs concurrently
followed by shoulder IR.
 Elbow flexors eccentrically contract to control
elbow extension.
 During this phase, lumbar spine moves from
hyperextended position to the flexed position as
throwing arm accelerates.
 Trunk flexion occurs as leading leg begins to
extend and elbow moves into near full extension
with shoulder in internal rotation
Deceleration
 It begins with the ball release. After ball release
the throwing arm horizontally adducts around the
torso and continues to internally rotate(from 0º IR)
 Excessive internal rotation forces are controlled by
eccentric activity of infraspinatus and teres minor.
 After the ball release the throwing arm is extended
at the elbow, abducted at the shoulder and moving
towards the target.
 This position causes GH joint distraction and is
controlled by rotator cuff muscles.
 Elbow extension is controlled by eccentric
contraction of elbow flexors throughout the
deceleration phase
Follow through
 The momentum of ball release and body weight results
in weight transfer to the stride leg. The trunk continues
to flex over the stride leg for stability.
 The stride leg stabilizes and the stance leg is brought
back to the ground with hip and knee flexed.
 The rotator cuffs continues to work eccentrically to
decelerate the shoulder and rhomboids and middle
trapezius to decelerate the scapula, and biceps to
decelerate elbow flexors.
 Most overuse injuries to the posterior arm and
trunk occur in the deceleration or follow through
phase. These phases are susceptible to injury
because the energy created to deliver the ball must
be dissipated during these phases
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