Rehabilitative and Preventive Effects of the Thrower's Ten Program in Overhead Athletes: A Systematic Review

Overhead athletes are repeatedly exposed to high-velocity arm motions that impose significant stress on the shoulder complex, predisposing them to dysfunction and injury. The Thrower's Ten (T10) program was originally developed as a rehabilitation protocol but has since been adopted for injury prevention and performance enhancement in overhead sports. This systematic review synthesized evidence from eight studies published between 2015 and 2025 that evaluated the effects of T10 or its modified versions in cricket, handball, baseball, badminton, shot put, and mixed overhead athletes. The included designs comprised randomized controlled trials, controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, pre-post interventions, and a feasibility pilot. Across these diverse contexts, the program was consistently associated with improvements in scapular stability, shoulder range of motion, rotator cuff strength, endurance, and sport-specific performance. Evidence also supports the feasibility of implementing T10 in youth and team training settings. Collectively, the findings position the Thrower's Ten as a versatile, low-cost, and evidence-based intervention that extends beyond rehabilitation to encompass injury prevention and performance enhancement. The program's adaptability, minimal equipment requirements, and demonstrated efficacy make it highly suitable for athletes across multiple overhead sports.