The Overhead Athlete: A Comprehensive Treatment Approach
Course Description
Overhead athletes of all ages are capable of accelerating their upper extremity to speeds that routinely exceed 7000 degrees per second. The role of and interaction between the joints, tissues, and segments involved in this process is very complex, but often results in injuries to the shoulder and elbow.
This course will examine common areas of dysfunction in the overhead athlete in the context of an understandable biomechanical framework that addresses the entire kinetic chain. Treatment approaches will emerge from an enhanced understanding of this framework and will be discussed in terms manual techniques and appropriate treatment progression. Clarification and reinforcement of course objectives will be provided through 50% lecture/discussion, visual aids (pictures/video), case examples, demonstration, and hands-on lab.
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Overhead Athlete Schedule
Course Objectives
At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Recognize 3 biomechanical characteristics that contribute to increased injury risk in the arm of the overhead athlete
- Given a mechanical fault in the performance of the overhead sports movement, provide 2 biomechanical contributors to the mechanical fault
- Recognize 3 sociocultural factors that contribute to the development of chronic/overuse injuries in the overhead athlete
- Identify 3 postural characteristics common in the presentation of the overhead athlete
- Given a specific joint/tissue dysfunction, provide 2 biomechanical contributors and 2 biomechanical consequences for the respective sport
- Define the role of 3 different core muscles in the transfer of energy from the lower extremity to the upper extremity
- Define the role of 3 different scapular muscles in the transfer of energy from the trunk to the arm
- Correctly identify and perform mobilization/release of 3 scapular muscles
- Correctly identify and perform mobilization/release of 3 trunk and/or hip muscles
- Properly execute a functional strength assessment of upper extremity, lower extremity and trunk
- Identify a dysfunctional movement pattern during functional movement assessment
- Develop 2 motor retraining exercises that addresses dysfunctional movements identified during your movement/manual assessment
- Develop 2 dynamic exercises that would reinforce motor retraining
Course Instructors
Christopher Hagedon
PT, DPT, AT, ATC, CIMT
Christopher graduated from Central Michigan University with his B.S. in athletic training/sports medicine and then continued on at CMU to complete his doctorate in physical therapy. He holds active licenses as an athletic trainer and physical therapist. Early in his career, he began taking courses with Great Lakes Seminars and completed his certificate in integrated manual therapy through GLS. Christopher enjoys working with patients and athletes of all ages and is a clinic director for Probility Physical Therapy in southeast Michigan, where he also helps provide AT coverage to local schools and teams. He combines his sports medicine and exercise background with the integrated "test-treat-retest" method of GLS to help reset patients' systems, improve their motor control, and allow them to reach their functional goals. He focuses on caring for the whole patient and getting to know them as an individual. Originally from the thumb of Michigan and now residing in Jackson County, Christopher loves all seasons of Michigan. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys spending as much time as possible with his wife, daughter, and their two dogs.
Course Outline
Saturday
Continental breakfast
Lecture: Introduction, normal and abnormal biomechanics of the throwing motion, common dysfunctions in overhead athletes, regional interdependence, mobilizations, MFR
Lecture: non-throwing overhead sport considerations, treatment progression, functional assessment of the trunk, hips, and scapula, anatomy review
Lunch (on your own)
Lab: MFR and mobilizations for the trunk and hips
Lab: Motor retraining exercises for the trunk and hips
Lab: MFR and mobilizations for the cervical/thoracic spine
Lab: Review of evidence-based literature
Adjourn
Sunday
Continental breakfast
Review and discussion of considerations for youth sports
Lab: MFR and mobilizations for the upper quarter
Lab: Motor retraining exercises for the upper quarter
Lab: Functional assessment of the scapula
Lunch (on your own)
Lab: Dynamic exercises for the upper extremity and scapula
Lab: Dynamic exercises for the trunk and hips
Lab: Functional assessment of the trunk and hips
Lab: Case study and speed mobilization review
Lab: Review of evidence-based literature
Adjourn
