As I’m sitting here about to watch Monday Night Football, I was thinking about the Ravens terrible performance against the Bengals. Everyone, from the TV commentators to the local journalists, talked about Flacco and his inability to step into his throws. They kept repeating that he is throwing off his back foot and it’s causing inaccurate throws.
Maybe his hesitation to step into his throws doesn’t have to do with the mechanics of his throwing technique, but maybe a part has to do with the mechanics of his left hip. If the biomechanics of the left hip are faulty, it could make it uncomfortable or awkward for Flacco to transfer weight on it, which is required to throw the ball. The hip joint itself needs to slide back and forth and rotate internally and externally.
Without getting too technical, if the hip joint gets restricted in its motion, which is something I see in athletes quite frequently, it will limit Flacco’s ability to step into his throw comfortably. In addition to the hip joint, the muscles that attach there play a big role in range of motion and proper biomechanics.
To step in the throw, the external rotators of the hip need to have flexibility to allow internal rotation to take place. If the external rotators are tight (common in people that sit at a desk all day), internal rotation will be limited and again, Flacco won’t be able to fully step into his throws.
Flacco’s hip joint may function perfectly, but I thought I would offer another perspective. If I was on the medical staff of the Ravens, I would make sure to check not only his throwing technique, but proper biomechanics of Flacco’s hip. You never know, maybe that’s all the Ravens need to take it to the next level!