Unveiling the History Behind Velocity RX Movement

I am on a mission to save one million arms. My story starts with me keeping my arm.

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

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

A 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 to do your job. I did not have my own practice; 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 decided not to have surgery. I began rehabbing my arm, calling on colleagues once in a while for manual therapy help. During this journey, I honed in on what exercises worked for me and took the stress off my elbow. I wanted to come back 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. I realize that none of my favorite tennis stars would be out for long periods with shoulder and elbow injuries. I don't remember anyone having a shoulder or elbow injury.

I delved 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 downward, or the ball will not be in play. In baseball, many people accelerate their arms from behind them against gravity, which puts a strain on the elbow.

I was going to come back to pitch. I needed to train my body only to 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 my core. This resulted in good balance and very good movement of the spine and scapular regions, which allowed my arm to be relaxed and free of any tension during the pitching motion. 

I made a couple of changes to how I hold the ball in my glove and always used the moniker "throw last." Of course, I 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 pitched in competitive leagues until I was 44. 

At Velocity RX, we're not just about improving performance; we're committed to safeguarding the future of every pitcher. Our programs are rooted in medical science, focusing on functional movement assessments and personalized training plans to prevent injuries before they occur.

Education:

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