Grind 24/7 Throwing Program

Collaboration between Grind 24/7 & ESSMC to bring you the most comprehensive throwing rehabilitation program in the Southwest Pennsylvania Region.

Overview: East Suburban Sports Medicine Center (ESSMC) has been trusted to treat and rehab the region’s top athletes since 1984, delivering world-class care and earning a reputation as the go-to practice among the best orthopedic surgeons in our region.

Our baseball physical therapy protocol is designed to guide each athlete through every stage of recovery, from the initial injury to a confident return to play.

Goal: Restore pain-free range of motion (ROM), reduce inflammation, and protect healing tissue.

• Rest & Protection: Activity modification, ice/modalities as needed
• Pain Management: Soft tissue mobilization, gentle massage
• Mobility & ROM: Passive and active-assisted ROM, scapular mobility
• Early Isometrics: Submaximal isometric strengthening
• Education: Injury mechanism, posture, and body mechanics Criteria to progress: Minimal pain at rest and with movement, near-full pain-free ROM.

Goal: Restore strength, endurance, and neuromuscular control; begin sport-specific movement patterns.

• Progressive Strengthening: Bands/light weights for rotator cuff, scapular stabilizers, grip
• Dynamic Stability: Plyometrics, proprioceptive training
• Functional Mobility: Dynamic stretching, joint mobilizations, core/lower body strengthening
• Throwing Mechanics (No Throw): Mirror drills, shadow pitching Criteria to progress: Normal or near-normal strength/endurance, good control, no symptoms with advanced exercises.

Goal: Safely transition to full baseball activity and prevent recurrence.

• Interval Throwing Program: Gradual on-field progression, monitored closely
• Sport-Specific Drills: Fielding, batting, base running, simulations
• Advanced Conditioning: High-level plyometrics, agility, sprints
• Maintenance Program: Ongoing strength/flexibility, recovery routines Criteria for full return: Completion of throwing program without symptoms, therapist and physician clearance, proper mechanics and confidence.

Once an athlete has successfully progressed through the rehabilitation process, the next critical step is safely returning to throwing and competition. That is where Grind 24/7 Training Center and Coach David Muraco step in.

For over two decades, Coach Muraco has worked with baseball athletes of all ages, from youth players to collegiate and professional prospects, helping them develop efficient throwing mechanics, increase arm strength, and safely return to the field after injury. As the founder of Grind 24/7 Training Center, Coach Muraco has built one of Western Pennsylvania’s premier baseball development programs, combining proven throwing methodologies, performance training, and individualized athlete development.

Through the Recover. Rebuild. Return. program, athletes transition seamlessly from physical therapy into a structured throwing progression built on the principles of the Savage Throwing System. Each athlete receives a customized return-to-throw plan designed to rebuild arm strength, restore confidence, improve movement efficiency, and prepare them for the demands of competitive baseball.

Our collaborative approach ensures constant communication between the ESSMC rehabilitation team and Grind 24/7’s throwing specialists, creating a comprehensive pathway from injury recovery to full return-to-play readiness.

• Individualized return-to-throw programming
• Arm care and workload management
• Mechanical evaluation and throwing assessment
• Velocity and performance development
• Ongoing communication between physical therapists and throwing coaches
• Objective progress tracking throughout the return process
• Safe transition back to practice, competition, and long-term performance

At Recover. Rebuild. Return., our goal is not simply getting athletes back on the field—it is helping them return stronger, more efficient, and more prepared than before their injury.

Coach David Muraco is the Founder and Director of Grind 24/7 Training Center and the Director of Canes PA Baseball. With more than 20 years of experience in athlete development, Coach Muraco has helped hundreds of baseball players improve their performance, advance to collegiate baseball, and pursue professional opportunities. His passion for player development, combined with evidence-based throwing instruction and performance training, has made Grind 24/7 a trusted destination for baseball athletes throughout the region.

Through the partnership between ESSMC and Grind 24/7, athletes now have access to a complete recovery-to-performance system designed to bridge the gap between rehabilitation and elite baseball and softball development.