Glenohumeral Rotation After Throwing: RCT Comparing the Sleeper Stretch to the 90/90 Hip Lift With Balloon Blow Exercise

The sleeper stretch protocol will follow the process described by Wilk with the subject lying on his throwing shoulder side, with the lateral border of the scapula on the table, and the glenohumeral and elbow joints both at 90 degrees of flexion. Participants will be instructed to passively internally rotate the shoulder with gentle overpressure applied on the dorsum of the dominant arm wrist by the nondominant hand to the point of stretch on the posterior aspect of the shoulder. Stretches will be held for 20 seconds each and repeated 4 times for optimal sustained collagen elongation. This protocol will be performed on days 0-4 after the throwing session.

The 90/90 Hip Lift with Balloon Blow Exercise (BBE) will follow the guidelines described by the Postural Restoration Institute. The subjects will lie supine with hips and knees flexed to 90 degrees, the right arm flexed to end range and resting on the floor. Using the left arm to hold the balloon, subjects will inhale fully and exhale into a balloon while holding a posterior pelvic tilt. The subjects inhale and then exhale into the balloon fully, then hold their breath for 5 seconds while putting their tongue on the roof of their mouth.