Fauls stretching routine produces acute gains in throwing shoulder mobility in collegiate baseball players.

CONTEXT Stretching prior to activity or as a rehabilitative intervention may promote increased throwing shoulder range of motion (ROM) in baseball pitchers. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the acute effects of Fauls modified passive stretching routine on throwing shoulder mobility in collegiate baseball players. DESIGN Repeated measures. SETTING Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Thirty collegiate baseball players with unimpaired shoulders. INTERVENTIONS Fauls modified passive stretching routine was performed on the throwing shoulder of each subject. OUTCOME MEASURES Shoulder complex and passive isolated glenohumeral internal and external rotation ROM were measured with a goniometer, and posterior shoulder tightness was assessed with the Tyler's test method using a carpenter's square. Measurements were made bilaterally. RESULTS The dominant shoulder displayed significant increases in glenohumeral and shoulder complex internal and external rotation ROM and significantly decreased posterior shoulder tightness following the stretching routine. CONCLUSION Application of the Fauls modified passive shoulder stretching routine results in acute gains in throwing shoulder mobility of collegiate baseball players.