The Overhead Athlete’s Guide to Shoulder Health: How Sports Physical Therapy Helps You Stay in the Game

By Dr. Jerry Jacob, PT, DPT | Elevation Spine & Sports Medicine

Baseball players, softball players, gymnasts, CrossFitters, Olympic weightlifters, and other overhead athletes…we don’t have to tell you…your shoulders take a beating. The repetitive overhead motion these sports that we all know, and love require puts so much stress on the rotator cuff, labrum, and surrounding structures. Over time, even small imbalances can lead to pain, impingement, or serious injury.

That’s where sports physical therapy comes in. That’s where Elevation Spine & Sports Medicine comes in. Here at Elevation in Carrollton, TX, Dr. Jerry Jacob, PT, DPT, specializes in helping overhead athletes recover from shoulder injuries and return to top performance safely and efficiently. Read on to learn more about Dr. Jerry, the conditions he treats, and how he can help you as an overhead athlete.

Understanding the Overhead Athlete’s Shoulder

Overhead athletes, including baseball and softball players, basketball players, track and field throwers, gymnasts, and CrossFit enthusiasts, rely on their shoulders for power, control, and precision. But repetitive overhead motion can cause:

• Rotator cuff injuries – Strains or tears to the muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint

• Labral tears – Damage to the cartilage ring that keeps the shoulder socket stable

• Shoulder impingement syndrome – Pinching of tendons or bursa between bones

• Biceps tendon inflammation – Pain in the front of the shoulder or upper arm

• AC joint sprains – Pain at the top of the shoulder where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade

Left untreated, these injuries can limit mobility, strength, and performance. This can make everyday activities, not just your sport, painful. If you’ve had any of these injuries, you know that something as simple as washing your hair or using the drive-thru window at the bank can prove to be more trouble than it’s worth when your shoulder pain is acting up. There is hope though.

How Sports Physical Therapy Helps

Dr. Jerry Jacob brings a unique blend of sports medicine experience and evidence-based practice to every treatment plan. He’s worked with professional athletes from organizations like the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys, and FC Dallas, helping them recover, rebuild, and reach peak performance. Now, he brings that same level of care to athletes and patients in Carrollton, TX.

Sports physical therapy isn’t just about recovery. It’s about longevity. Many athletes today are proving that with the right rehabilitation and strength program, it’s possible to avoid surgery or injections and still perform at an elite level.

Take Alyssa Thomas, forward for the Phoenix Mercury. She’s played with two torn labrums, one in each shoulder, for over a decade. Instead of choosing surgery, she’s managed her injuries through strength training, mobility work, and consistent rehab. By focusing on building stability around the shoulder joint and modifying her playing style, she’s continued to compete at the highest level of professional basketball.

While Dr. Jerry Jacob is not her physical therapist, this example demonstrates the kind of approach he uses with his own patients. Through targeted exercise, manual therapy, and progressive load management, he helps athletes of all levels build resilience, reduce pain, and restore function, without the need for invasive treatments.

His programs often include:

·       Comprehensive movement analysis to identify faulty mechanics that contribute to pain or re-injury

·       Manual therapy and soft tissue work to reduce tightness and improve shoulder mobility

·       Dry needling to relieve muscle tightness and trigger points for faster recovery

·       Shockwave therapy to promote healing in tendons and reduce chronic pain

·       Targeted strengthening for the rotator cuff, scapular stabilizers, and core to enhance joint support

·       Dynamic return-to-sport specific drills that mimic the movements of your sport — from throwing a baseball to snatching a barbell

·       Education and load management strategies to prevent flare-ups and keep you training safely

By combining sports rehabilitation techniques with evidence-based physical therapy and advanced modalities like dry needling and shockwave therapy, Dr. Jacob helps overhead athletes recover faster, move better, and stay in the game longer — no surgery required!

Why Choose Elevation Spine & Sports Medicine

At Elevation, you get more than just physical therapy. You gain access to a collaborative care team that includes chiropractors, physical therapists, and rehab specialists — all working together under one roof. This integrated approach ensures that your treatment addresses the full picture, from spinal alignment and mobility to muscle strength and performance.

Whether you’re:

• Rehabbing after rotator cuff surgery

• Managing chronic shoulder impingement

• Healing from AC Joint sprains

• Dealing with biceps tendon issues

• Looking to prevent injury as you ramp up training

Dr. Jacob and the Elevation team create a plan that’s tailored to your sport, goals, and recovery timeline.

Get Back to Doing What You Love

Shoulder pain doesn’t have to keep you on the bench. It also doesn't have to require surgery or invasive injections. With the right physical therapy plan, you can restore mobility, rebuild strength, and return to the activities you love. We're a team of athletes, working for athletes here at Elevation Spine & Sports Medicine. Whether it’s throwing a baseball, sticking a gymnastics landing, or hitting a new personal record in Olympic lifting...we're here for you.

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Ready to get started? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Jerry Jacob, PT, DPT, at Elevation Spine & Sports Medicine in Carrollton, TX, and take the first step toward pain-free performance.

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