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Turns out my 2022 RHP is double jointed in the elbows (hypermobility). Searched, but we can't find much out there on it...

He is able to get into 180 degree layback (external rotation). But is it possible that the same laxity in the elbow joint that allows this very good layback also preventing him from generating "sufficient elbow tendon elasticity or tightness", for lack of a better word, that is required to then propel the throwing hand to achieve throwing velocity?

He has been at the same Velocity for some time now and we have tried many many things to increase it without much success.

Hope I am explaining ok... 

Orlando Dad

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My son played with a kid with hyper-mobility.  This kid could make astounding throws from the outfield, but could never pull things together as a pitcher.  He was diagnosed junior year of HS and started doing some PT.  Senior year was cancelled so we never got to see if the PT helped him on the mound.

One of my sons which is a twin is hypermobile. He can contort himself into insane positions. He is a pitcher/utility player. He is 16 and 2 months,130 pounds and 5'7". He sits 74 to 76 and tops out at 80. When he started pitching at 9 years old, the coaches had to work with him to stop rotating so much to create velocity. He is a low 3/4 boy and he whips the ball. After reducing the rotation, they worked on mechanics that would put less strain on his elbow and shoulder. The baseball starts low and behind his left hip. He is a righty. His lower half is facing the batter as his hand starts the upper motion for load. He has to do this to create torque. For my other boy this movement is impossible, but for a boy that is hypermobile, it seems to work. We tried crossfire some but it didn't work for him. I will say that he seems to get injured more than the other boy as he has had a hip apophysitis during the spring season that sidelined him for two months. Summer ball has been great for him and he has had great success pitching. 

@2022NYC posted:

Seeing those with hyper mobility makes me cringe, especially the street dancers and acrobats. Anyway I am not sure that kind of hyper mobility (elbow or shoulder) would help with GIRD

There’s a street performer at Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall in Boston who passes himself through a tennis racket frame.

After doing some research it seems that we want to try to tighten his elbow joint tendons. Looks like the best exercises to do are bicep and tricep eccentric work with bands. Thoughts?

Thoughts……spend a few hundred dollars to be assessed by a professional and get a program designed by someone who knows what they are doing. Self diagnosis and treatment via Dr. Google is almost never the best route.

If you search on Ehlers Danlos Syndrome you will find more information on it, but not enough. The medical field keeps changing the name from Ehlers Danlos Type III, hEDS, hypermobility. Unfortunately most doctors if they ever heard of EDS thinks it's simply "Oh, you're very flexible." 

I don't know if I am allowed to post links in here, but if you search on "Kevin Muldowney" you'll see his physical therapy website. There is a lot of info there and he also has a great book on strengthening for hypermobility. I will DM you my email in case you want to talk!

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