So at week 12 it was time to start throwing.  Because I was pain free and swelling free I was given the go-ahead.

That first throw was pretty scary, but I knew I was ready for it, and it went fine.  It felt just like it used to. I started out at 30 feet, progressing to 40 feet x 60 throws by the month’s end.  Month two moved me back to 50 feet, and month three to 60. Midway through month three, however, I switched to a different throwing program because I was progressing faster than my throwing program would allow.  

I talked earlier about falling on my arm when I was running and how important that was in trusting my arm.  The first day I let a ball go on a line was another such moment.  After every single throw was on a soft arc, letting one go on a line was one of the first tests of my new ligaments.  I can remember that first throw, and how liberated I felt when I did it without pain.  I only uncorked a few of these per session, but they always provided me with a release from the tension of wondering if my elbow was really strong enough to get me back to where I once was.   Read the rest of this entry »