Unveiling the Science behind Velocity RX

I am on a mission to save 1 million arms. My story starts by me, saving my own arm.

After college, I began playing in a highly competitive local men's baseball league. During infield practice while playing first base, I made the throw to third base and felt a "crunch" in my right elbow.

I had a immediate pain and a golf ball size lump in the medial aspect of my elbow. I knew it wasn't good.

Visit to an orthopedic doctor friend and an MRI confirmed what I already expected: a torn collateral ligament.

As a physical therapist, you need both arms in order to do your job. At this time I did not have my own practice and I was working for somebody. There was no way I could take 3 to 4 months off work to rehab my arm after surgery. 

I made the decision not to have surgery. I began to rehab my own arm. I would call on some fellow colleagues once in a while for some manual therapy help. During this journey, I really honed in on what exercises worked for me and took the stress off of my elbow, I only wanted to come back to be able to continue doing high-level manual therapy with my patients, but I also have the crazy idea of being able to pitch again. 

I played a lot of tennis in middle and high school. I certainly wasn't a great tennis player but I watched a lot of tennis. One thing I realize is that none of my favorite tennis stars would be out for long periods of time with shoulder and elbow injuries. In fact, I don't remember anyone having a shoulder or elbow injury.

I really delve into why that was. And the answer was simple. The motions were similar except at the end. In tennis you want to strike the ball in a downward motion, or the ball will not be in play.. In baseball, many people accelerate their arm from behind them against gravity, which puts a strain on the elbow.

I was going to come back to pitch. I needed away to train my body to only accelerate my arm, working in a downhill or gravity, assisted movement.

VELOCITY RX was born!  

My exercise and arm care, routine consisted of functional movements in and around the core of my body. This resulted in good balance, and very good moving spine and scapular regions. This allowed for my arm to be relaxed and free of any tension during the pitching motion. 

I made a couple of other changes to how I hold the ball in my glove, and always used the moniker "throw last."  I of course, meant the last thing you do, is accelerate your arm, downhill, with gravity. 

The core training, coursework, arm care, and everything associated with Velocity RX was born out of my desperation to return to being a therapist and a baseball pitcher. I'm still a physical therapist, and I pitched in competitive leagues until I was 44 years old. 

That's how it all started!

Education:

• Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Simmons University, 
• Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NSCA