Jobes exercises help people strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff is the part of the shoulder that helps with circular motion. The exercises are commonly used by baseball pitchers, but people who participate in many other sports utilize them as well. Physical therapists rely on Jobes exercises to help people who are recovering from rotator cuff injuries or surgeries. People of all ages and fitness levels can use Jobes exercises to improve shoulder strength and function.
Identification
A person's rotator cuff consists of four small muscles. These muscles run from the top of the upper arm at the humerus to the shoulder blade, or scapula. This group of muscles stabilizes a person's upper arm in his shoulder socket. They also allow the shoulder its range of motion. Any athlete who throws as part of his sport needs to keep the rotator cuff strong to avoid injury and enhance throwing ability, according to Dr. Gene Coleman, writing for BeaBetterHitter.com.
Significance
When just one rotator cuff muscle cannot aid in stabilizing a person's shoulder, most of the shoulder's major motions become impossible. This includes swinging, throwing, lifting weights and even just reaching overhead. Having an unstable shoulder also can lead to bursitis, tendinitis, joint wear, tears and pain. Baseball players and other throwing athletes cannot develop and maintain good fitness for throwing simply by playing their sports, advises The Complete Pitcher. Such a regimen won't keep a person "in shape" for baseball or other sports. Jobes exercises are needed during both the on- and off-seasons.
Use
Jobes exercises are utilized by baseball players of all ages, from junior high to the big leagues. Younger players, such as those in junior high, are advised to concentrate on using proper technique. That means performing the exercise movements with either light weights or using no resistance. Young athletes need to form proper exercise habits because habits formed at a young age are most often carried into the adult years, advises The Complete Pitcher. People who are doing Jobes exercises for physical therapy also start with light to zero weight. Family Doctor advises using a weight that's light enough to allow for doing each exercise 20 to 30 times, sometimes just 2 oz. Jobes exercises are not supposed to cause pain, and if a person feels pain, she needs to stop. For both athletes and people recovering from injury, doing Jobes exercises is recommended three to five times a week. People in rehab need to ice the shoulder for 20 minutes following the exercises.
Benefits
Jobes exercises involve strengthening the rotator cuff in all of its movements. For example, the front raise is done by standing with the arms at the sides. A person keeps the arms straight, palms facing back. This can be done holding dumbbells or not. Straight arms are slowly raised to shoulder height. Following a pause they're slowly lowered down. There also are moves that go to the side and overhead.
History
Jobes exercises are named for orthopedic surgeon Frank Jobe. His program originally was created for rehabilitation purposes. It's now routinely used to condition the arms. Jobe is famous for pioneering "Tommy John surgery" as well as other sports medicine procedures. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John went to see Jobe in 1974 for a sore elbow. John had a torn ulnar collateral ligament, a career-ending injury at the time. However, with two surgeries and a grueling rehabilitation program, John returned to pitching and went on to win 164 more games.
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