PASSING MECHANICS > WINGING ELBOW

Winging Elbow

Winging elbow occurs when the elbow is elevated above the throwing shoulder and the ball remains below the elbow during the break phase of the passing motion.  

Why does it matter?

Winging elbow can be an issue for some quarterbacks because it repetitively places the shoulder into a position of impingement at the shoulder joint, which can sometimes become painful.  Impingement is a pinching of the rotator cuff muscles that can happen when the shoulder gets into certain positions, particularly excessive abduction (lifting the arm to the side) combined with internal rotation (rotating the forearm inward with a bent elbow).   

This positioning of the shoulder can also lead to a low elbow position at release.

Causes

Winging elbow is most often a technical issue.  It can be related to timing and sequencing between the lower and upper body where the lower body initiates too late causing the arm to move through a larger range while it "waits" for the lower body to start the turn phase.  

It can also be related to strength and stability in the scapular (shoulder blade) stabilizer and rotator cuff muscles, particularly the external rotators or the small muscles on the back side of the shoulder. 

Corrective Exercises & Drills

If you have determined you have Winging Elbow, use the following exercises to correct for physical limitations or drills to correct for technical issues.