This is a follow-up to Konnor Griffin's Flexor Mass Strain: Detailing the Anatomy & Implications, the anatomy piece we wrote back in June.
The Big Takeaway
Flexor mass strain isn’t a programming signal—it’s noise. The program input is what you feel when you palpate: which specific tissue is shielding, whether that shielding is neurological or a sign of tissue disorganization, and what that tells you about a UCL you can’t directly feel. That single read decides whether today’s session removes a shield or loads a tissue—and it’s the difference between a return timeline that drags and one that compresses.
Turning a palpation finding into a same-day program decision like this is exactly what The Art & Science of Programming teaches.
What We Cover in This Episode
Why Injury Labels Are Programming Noise: “Flexor mass strain” bundles multiple flexors and a pronator into one term. You can’t write a single set until you know which specific tissue is actually compromised.
The UCL Isn’t One Structure: Anterior, posterior, and middle bundles come under tension at different elbow angles—meaning the “safe” position to load or protect the elbow changes depending on which bundle is stressed.
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris as the UCL’s Early Warning System: Its broad, U-shaped insertion physically interweaves with the UCL bundles, so palpating FCU—not imaging—is the fastest read on ligament stress.
Shielding vs. Disorganization: Two different palpation findings that call for two different program decisions—clear the neurological shield first, or load the tissue directly if it’s disorganization instead.
The Point A Feedback Loop in Real Time: A real case—on a non-throwing day, a shielding finding means going aggressive to clear it so the UCL can be loaded; if the UCL itself is compromised, it can shield the flexor mass right back, closing the door until that’s addressed first.
Rotational Dysfunction vs. True Medial Stress: Pronator/supinator shielding means the elbow can’t rotate through pitch types. FCU/FCR/FDS shielding means the medial elbow is actually absorbing excess load. Both walk in as “sore elbow”—they are not the same program.
What continues below for paid subscribers: the specific palpation findings that separate a rotational elbow problem from a true UCL problem, and when the case calls for aggressive shield-clearing versus passive, directional-only loading.
The Reactive Strength Deficit Leading Indicator at the Elbow
The Palpation Findings That Separate a Rotational Elbow Problem from a True UCL Problem
Two clean patterns show up in pitchers who come in with elbow soreness convinced their UCL is torn:
