Can you bring your arm into a throwing position without your shoulder feeling tight, pinchy, or unstable? Shoulder external rotation is important for much more than throwing a baseball. It contributes to the backswing in golf, overhead lifting, swimming, serving in tennis, reaching behind your head, and many other athletic movements. When that motion is limited, athletes often compensate by: Arching the lower back Flaring the ribs Rotating the entire torso Shrugging the shoul

Are you trying to create a bigger backswing by twisting harder through your lower back? That may be part of the problem. A powerful golf swing requires rotation, but that rotation should be shared between your hips, pelvis, upper back, shoulders, and spine. When your upper back does not rotate well, your body often tries to find that motion somewhere else. That compensation may show up as: Excessive lower-back twisting Your lead heel lifting early Your posture changing during