Jaeger/Sullivan Return to Throwing From Tommy John Surgery Manual & Schedule
About Lesson

Timeline: 4 Phases of Our Return to Throwing Schedule

  • Phase 1: Weeks 1-12 (30 Feet – 120 Feet) – Athleticism, Base Building, Massage Throwing
  • Phase 2: Weeks 13-21 (120 + Feet) – Athleticism, Stacking The Base, Conditioning, Extension Phase, Modified Pull-Downs, Light Mound Work (Cool Down)
  • Phase 3: Weeks 22-28 – Athleticism, Integration of Light, Medium & Heavy Days, Higher Intent Pull-Downs, Mound Ramp-Up, Live Inning
  • Phase 4: Weeks 29 & Beyond – Pitch Count Build-Up (In-Game)

Notes To Help You Optimize Our Return To Throwing Schedule

Collaboration: Your rehabilitation process is going to be a team effort. Be sure you involve your Surgeon, Physical Therapist, Strength & Conditioning Coach, and Pitching Coach throughout this entire process. But always listen to your arm and your instincts.

Objective Feedback/Radar Feedback: Gauging your real effort as opposed to perceived effort has been proven difficult to gauge for anyone throwing a baseball – especially after spending 4-5 months off the field. Therefore, we highly recommend using some type of Radar Feedback in order to best gauge your real effort and give you objective feedback from throw to throw (there are several options on the market). You will find two extremely helpful and informative charts below from Ben Brewster to help you navigate various distances based on objective feedback from radar readings. These Charts correspond to Weeks 1-21.

Throwing Counter: It may be somewhat unrealistic to expect players to count “every throw” they make, therefore we also highly recommend some type of “pitch counter”. There are several options available on the market.

Data Driven Analysis:This program has been developed with universality at its core. Though we want the predominate gauge and measurement of our Throwing Schedule to be centered around, 1) Our on-field experience, 2) Self-Regulation by the athlete, and, 3) Objective feedback via Ben Brewster’s Distance/Velocity/Effort Chart, it’s important to recognize the presence of various “data-driven” tools available today, such as Driveline Pulse and isometric dynamometers, designed for the objective measurement and monitoring of workload and effort. Though this can be of great value, our ultimate decision was to ensure that both players and coaches can efficiently navigate the return-to-throwing progression without the need for advanced technological know-how and/or having access to these tools.

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