Protect Your UCL: Learn 3 Exercise to Help Pitchers Fortify Their Elbow - Lewis Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation

Medial elbow pain is one of the most common issues I see in baseball pitchers — from youth athletes all the way up to professionals. Whether it shows up as soreness on the inside of the elbow, loss of velocity, or fear of a UCL injury, the concern is always the same:

“What can I do to protect my elbow?”

Social media would have you believe the answer is simple:
👉 Do this one exercise and your UCL will be bulletproof.

The reality?
That mindset is exactly why elbow pain keeps coming back.

🎥 Watch the Full Video Breakdown on YouTube

Protect Your UCL: 3 Medial Elbow Exercises Pitchers Need in Their Program
▶️ Watch Here:

⚾ Why UCL Injuries Don’t Come From One Missing Exercise

UCL injuries rarely happen because a pitcher skipped a single drill. They occur when multiple stressors stack up over time, overwhelming the elbow’s ability to tolerate load.

The most common contributors include:

• Lack of year-round strength training

• Weak or fatigued rotator cuff and scapular muscles

• Insufficient forearm and grip strength

• Poor recovery, sleep, or nutrition

• Sudden spikes in throwing workload

When these factors aren’t addressed together, the medial elbow often becomes the “point of failure.”

That’s why true injury risk reduction is multifactorial — not exercise-dependent.

🧠 The Role of the Forearm in Medial Elbow Protection

The UCL is supported by several dynamic stabilizers, particularly the muscles of the forearm. Two of the most important are:

Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (FDS)

This muscle lies directly over the UCL and helps absorb valgus stress during throwing. When it lacks strength or endurance, more stress is transferred directly to the ligament.

Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (FCU)

Another major stabilizer of the medial elbow, especially during late cocking and acceleration. Proper strengthening improves load tolerance and delays fatigue during outings.

Targeted forearm training can:
✔ Offload stress from the UCL
✔ Improve endurance late in games
✔ Support higher throwing volumes

But only when progressed appropriately.

🏋️‍♂️ Why Progression and Positioning Matter

One of the biggest mistakes pitchers make is jumping straight into aggressive elbow exercises — especially in vulnerable positions like 90/90 — before the tissue is prepared.

A smarter approach:

• Start with longer-duration isometrics

• Train in safer, more extended positions first

• Gradually increase intensity and joint angles

• Progress volume before chasing load

Rushing this process often leads to irritation instead of resilience.

🧩 How Medial Elbow Exercises Fit Into a Complete Program

Elbow-specific drills work best when they are:

• Performed ~2x per week

• Integrated into a full-body strength program

• Paired with proper throwing workload management

• Supported by recovery and sleep

They should never replace:

• Shoulder and scapular strength work

• Lower-body and trunk development

• Intelligent throwing progressions

When all of these pieces work together, pitchers build arms that are not just strong — but durable.

🗓 Tired of Having Elbow or Shoulder Pain Every Time You Throw? Book Your Evaluation Today

If elbow pain, shoulder pain, or arm fatigue is holding you back, there’s a proven path forward.
👉 Book your evaluation here:
https://go.dptpreneur.com/widget/form/zt52az6nu2DnPG0S4SyG

📘 The Arm Pain Blueprint (FREE Download!)

Learn our step-by-step method to eliminate arm pain and rebuild throwing strength.
👉 https://app.dptpreneur.com/v2/preview/4J7IWRe36z3WAeFeGxmv

⚾ Pitcher’s Mechanical Blueprint (FREE GUIDE)

Break down the mechanical checkpoints that reduce elbow stress and boost velocity.
👉 https://go.dptpreneur.com/widget/form/n11cl2tkQwwi9BfjnWpz

🎙 Listen to This Episode on The Lewis Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab Podcast

Catch the full breakdown of how medial elbow strength, workload, and shoulder stability work together to protect pitchers throughout the season.

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4A6iBs0CzkAwSu9rUVPfGX?si=lrea2AaWQSy5USIT90KXhQ