How it Works
Discover the Benefits
WHAT TO EXPECT
Improve Throwing arm Performance and HealthDesigned to Advance Assessment and Training Practices
Arm strength and range of motion are evaluated through 6 important measures focused on relative strength, shoulder balance, strength velocity ratios, arm fatigue, arm recovery and arm readiness. By having advanced knowledge of these ground breaking metrics, coaches, sports medicine specialists and athletes will be able to make the right decisions in adjusting training and workload and establish a strong performance process through our Player-First Approach that organizes observation, communication, implementation and evaluation of data.
Once complete, you will be a Certified ArmCare Specialist and be able to present your credentials publicly. The credential tells people that you are a baseball performance professional that deeply understands how to monitor the throwing arm and thinks critically in making throwing and training program adjustments to guide athletes in reaching their dreams.
Extensive education: over 9 sections comprised of 30+ videos
Understand the performance factors that are improved by dynamometry
Learn how to formulate an effective and streamlined monitoring, communication, individualized training and evaluation process for your athletes
Comprehend multi-dimensional monitoring criteria called Key Performance Metrics and how training and throwing programs are adjusted based on data
Master testing procedures that involve fixed dynamometry including testing frequencies to ensure continuous and consistent measurements
Learn about watch, warning and medical alerts concerning relative strength, shoulder balance, strength velocity ratios, arm fatigue and arm recovery measures
Learn how to use an athlete management system to decrease time to action and access raw data for customized analyses
Acquire deep understanding of how to algorithmically train athletes based on data that includes preparation, strength and recovery practices and templates
Understand our SPEAR training concept that involves new training approaches based on cross-education training research
Separate yourself from your competition in scouting and player development by including strength analytics in player projection and individualized training programs
Course Curriculum
What’s included
1. Introduction to Specialist Course
– How data-led training can make you a better coach
– Major Causes of the Injury Epidemic
– Assessment Tools
– Arm Soreness & Pain
– Importance of arm strength
2. Monitoring Framework
– Player first approach
– Observation Types
3. Measurement Strategies
– Exam Types
– Exam Frequency
– Range of Motion Tests
– Strength Tests
– Data Capture Features
4. Key Metric & Action Alerts
– Shoulder Balance
– Strength Velocity Ratio
– Arm Fatigue
– Arm Recovery
– Other Metrics to Consider
5. Athlete Management
– Coaches Portal Screens
– Accountability & Wellness
– CSV Analysis
6. Advanced Decision Making
– Decision Making Matrices
7. Velocity Enhancement Training Checklist
– Velocity Enhancement Research
– Biomechanics of Holds
– Off Season Integration
– Training Age
– Performance Measures
– Inclusion Criteria for Velo Programs
8. Data-Led Training
9. Team/Facility Intergration
10. Course Summary
– Certificate- ArmCare Specialists
– ArmCare Community Membership
Course Objectives
1. Understand the performance pyramid (strength, velocity, and command) to keep throwing athletes healthy
- Students will be able to explain factors that are associated with altered arm position that can lead to injury.
- Students will be able to delineate key attributes associated with Health. Velocity and Command that are related to altered throwing arm position and barriers in maintaining repeatable throwing deliveries.
- Students will be able to describe velocity enhancement principles including key biomechanical indicators associated with high velocity throwing from which clinicians need to address in later stages of rehabilitation.
- Students will be able to recognize strength and range of motion derivatives to advance arm speed that involves the Strength-Velocity Ratio (lbs/mph)
- Students will be able to summarize command principles including key metrics that are indicative of changes in throwing accuracy and connect such elements to strength and range of motion data.
- Students will recognize when to communicate with patient’s skill coaches to assess mechanics in their athletes that may be contributing to poor performance and fatigue.
2. Analyze the major causes of throwing arm injury based on the current published research.
- Students will be able to identify major causes of injury and interpret the quality of published studies through effect size calculations in determining the best evidenced-based approach to training, workload management, and biomechanics.
- Students will identify the continuum of fatigue to movement compensation as it relates to the biomechanical causes of injury and apply fatigue metrics in determining how to scale training so that the throwing arm is not over or under-trained.
- Students will be able to identify biomechanical causation of injuries and apply shoulder imbalance metrics in dynamometry and range of motion restrictions in remediating such asymmetries.
3. Identify the technical considerations for applying strength and range of motion testing.
- Students will recognize errors in using portable dynamometry in their clinical and team settings.
- Students will be able to apply a thorough dynamic warm-up routine with their patients and interpret maximum force attributes during the warm-up process.
- Students will be able decipher the differences between the current strength and range of motion testing technologies and will recognize their advantages and limitations as it relates to their clinical approaches.
4. Interpret data related to throwing arm strength and range of motion analytics
- Students will be able to classify arm strength analytics that is meaningful to assessing fatigue, recovery, and weakness.
- Students will be able to determine when athletes indicate poor function, imbalance, and normalized weakness in strength
- Students will be able to evaluate the intersection of strength and range of motion to determine when strength and tendon length relationships are out of balance.
5. Relate training & workload data to dynamometry and range of motion measures.
- Students will be able to distinguish the training hierarchy in the SPEAR training model to advance performance and minimize injury risk
- Students will match range of motion and arm strength data with the correct training approach in the SPEAR model in creating individualized training programs based on fatigue, inhibited recovery, and weakness.
- Students will categorize the appropriate exercise selections based on strength and range of motion data that are aligned with the SPEAR model of training.
6. Plan a workflow to integrate testing for individual, team, and clinical settings.
- Students will be able to design an appropriate schedule for testing, including how to rotate patients or athletes between stations to minimize time in analyzing changes in strength and range of motion.
- Students will be able to explain the important aspects involved in the pre-exam warm-up to prepare the athlete for competition, as well as reduce any risk of pain and discomfort prior to testing for maximum strength.
About Ryan Crotin
PhD, CSCS, RSCC
Dr. Ryan Crotin is the Vice President of ArmCare.com focusing on global adoption of individualized training and assessment through a data-led approach. He also is the driving force behind ArmCareU and the ArmCare Elite community, being a comprehensive educational stream and network to advance baseball health and performance.
Ryan completed his PhD at the University at Buffalo studying fatigue-induced movement compensations in baseball pitchers.
His post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Pennsylvania focused on joint function and biomechanics to determine potential causes of throwing injuries.
His latest position in MLB was Director of Performance Integration for the Los Angeles Angels overseeing strength and conditioning efforts and sport science to apply physiologic-based data to improve the way athletes are coached, receive clinical care, and scouting as it relates to athletic profiling for the amateur draft.
Frequently Asked Questions
For any other questions, please write us at support@armcare.com
How many ceus is the course worth and which organizations accept them?
We are currently in process of becoming an authorized provider for continuing education for the following organizations.
– NSCA
– State Physical Therapy Associations
– NATA
Please reach out to us at support@armcare.com to confirm if and when the ArmCare Specialist course is approved for your specific board of education.
How long will I have to complete the course?
You will have 1 year (365 days) days from the date of enrollment.
When does the course start and finish?
There is no time limit to complete the course, but it generally 6.5 hours to complete.
How long will I have access to the course?
After enrolling, you will have unlimited access to the ArmCare Specialist course. There will be no additional fees to maintain your certification year over year. We will continue to add new content and update the course as we analyze new research. You will be emailed whenever the course is updated.
What if I am unsatisfied with the course?
What happens if I do not pass the course tests?
The video content isn't loading?
What is your refund policy?
You may cancel the course for a full refund up to the point of beginning the first module.