Glenohumeral Gurus#51:The High Performance Shoulder:Volleyball—Rethinking the Arm Swing-Rachel Caban

What does it really take to rehabilitate a painful volleyball shoulder? In this episode of Glenohumeral Gurus, Dr Margie Olds is joined by Rachel Caban, physiotherapist, former professional volleyball player and founder of Better Shoulder PT, for the next instalment of the High Performance Shoulder series. Volleyball places unique demands on the shoulder. Repeated overhead hitting, unpredictable ball placement, different playing positions and the demands of indoor versus beach volleyball all influence how the shoulder is loaded. Rachel takes us through the biomechanics of the volleyball arm swing, explaining how the lower limbs, hips and trunk contribute to force generation — and what happens when the shoulder is left to compensate. The conversation then gets practical. How do we identify which part of the arm swing is provoking pain? What should we assess when an athlete presents with anterior shoulder pain, suspected labral pathology or instability? And how do we translate those findings into meaningful rehabilitation? Rachel shares her approach to assessing arm swing mechanics, shoulder rotation, scapular control and the kinetic chain, including useful strategies for clinicians working with athletes virtually. We also explore exercise progressions that move from supported shoulder control to more demanding, sport-specific movements — including eccentric loading, scapular protraction and the often-overlooked follow-through phase of the volleyball swing.The central message: Rehabilitation needs to reflect the movement demands of the sport, not just the painful structure. In Part 2, Rachel and Margie will explore injury prevention, return-to-sport testing and preparing volleyball athletes to return to play. Key Takeaways: Look beyond the shoulder. Lower-limb power, hip rotation and trunk sequencing all contribute to the volleyball arm swing. Understand the player's position. Outside hitters, middle hitters, right-side hitters and beach volleyball athletes face different loading demands.I dentify when pain occurs. Before ball contact, at contact or during follow-through can provide useful clues for assessment and rehabilitation. Assess rotation and scapular control. Consider shoulder rotation at 90° abduction, scapular movement and the athlete's ability to control the arm in sport-specific positions. Use game footage. Watching the athlete hit can reveal movement patterns and kinetic-chain contributions that may not be obvious during a clinic assessment. Progress from supported to unsupported movement. Rachel describes using a bench or box to develop shoulder control before progressing to open-chain 90/90 exercises. Choose resistance deliberately. Bands and dumbbells can challenge different parts of the movement and different control requirements. Don't forget the follow-through. Scapular protraction, eccentric posterior shoulder loading and trunk rotation are important elements of rehabilitation. Make rehabilitation sport-specific. Athletes are more likely to understand the purpose of their exercises when they can see how they relate to their volleyball arm swing. Connect with Rachel Caban — Better Shoulder PT Website: ⁠https://bettershoulderpt.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/bettershoulderpt ⁠ Connect with Margie Olds Instagram: ⁠  / ⁠   LinkedIn: ⁠  / ⁠   Website: ⁠https://margieolds.com ⁠Flawless Motion: ⁠https://flawlessmotion.com⁠