Shoulder Rotation Range of Motion and Serve Speed in Adolescent Male Volleyball Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Rotation sequences for the calculation of shoulder kinematics of the volleyball attack

Calculating upper extremity kinematics during overhead movements presents with problems typically not seen for the lower extremity due to the large range of motion. Due to these unique issues, different rotation sequences have been suggested to circumvent challenges due to gimbal lock (GL) and angle coherence (AC). The purpose of this study is to determine the most appropriate rotation sequence for shoulder angle calculation during a volleyball attack.

METHODS

15 healthy experienced volleyball players (women = 8) performed 5 attacks off a stationary ball. A 12-camera 3D motion capture system was utilized to record trunk and arm kinematics to compare joint angles calculated using the YXY, ZXY, XZY, YXZ, ZYX, and XYZ rotation sequences. Instances of GL and AC inconsistences were marked for each trial. The last 3 trials were used for analysis.

RESULTS

The YXY and XYZ sequences presented with the least total number of errors (12 and 5, respectively). 5 instances of GL were present in the XYZ sequence while none were recorded for the YXY sequence. All other sequences returned incoherent angles that greatly exceeded known ranges of motion.

CONCLUSION

When performing kinematic analyses during a volleyball attack, researchers should adhere to ISB recommendations and employ the Eulerian YXY sequence for calculations. If greater anatomical understanding is desired, the XYZ sequence may be utilized for most subjects.

Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit in general population with shoulder pain: A descriptive observational study

Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) is one of the most important factors influencing injury risk in the arm of overhead athletes. Some studies have shown that the GIRD of athletes with shoulder pain was higher than those without shoulder pain, establishing a relation between shoulder pain and GIRD. However, there are no studies that relate to GIRD and shoulder pain or the risk factors that affect GIRD in the population with this ailment. This study aimed to: determine if GIRD could be found clinically and between which values it oscillates in patients with shoulder pain, and explore if there are any potential associations between GIRD and some sociodemographic data, and orthopedic or radiological findings. A descriptive observational study design was adopted to determine if GIRD could be found clinically in patients with shoulder pain and to gain further evidence in the potential associations between GIRD and sociodemographic data, and orthopedic or radiological findings. All those patients without exclusion criteria between October 1,2020 and March 31,2021 were included. Exclusion criteria consisted of being under 18 years old but younger than 80 years old, showing shoulder pain in both shoulders and having a joint prosthesis in at least one of the 2 shoulders, tumor, or infection. A total of 67 patients aged between 25 and 75 years (52.7 ± 11.8 years, 36 male and 31 female). More than 82% of patients with shoulder pain showed a GIRD higher than 20º. The mean GIRD was 37.6 ± 17.09º. The 95th percentile was 66.22º. From sociodemographic data could be extracted that: patients who have children showed a lower GIRD, patients with right shoulder pain, or whose dominance coincided with a painful shoulder showed a higher GIRD. The orthopedic findings revealed that patients with a positive Jobe test showed a lower GIRD. The linear model considering both sociodemographic and orthopedic findings showed that GIRD was reduced by having children and by BMI. GIRD shows a high incidence in patients with shoulder pain. The descendant, BMI, and positive Jobe test were negatively associated with the GIRD.

Scapular Resting Posture and Scapulohumeral Rhythm Adaptations in Volleyball Players: Implications for Clinical Shoulder Assessment in Athletes

Volleyball players develop shoulder sports-related adaptations due to repetitive overhead motions. It is essential to differentiate between these sports-related adaptations and pathological patterns in clinical assessments, particularly on scapular resting posture and scapulohumeral rhythm. Using an electromagnetic tracking system, the 3D shoulder kinematics of 30 male elite asymptomatic volleyball players and a matching control group were recorded at rest and in eight humeral elevation positions, in 15-degree increments from 15 to 120 degrees. The results indicated that the dominant scapular resting posture of the volleyball group was more anteriorly tilted than the control group (Volleyball: mean = -12.02°, STD = 4.16°; Control: mean = -7.45°, STD = 5.42°; Mean difference = 4.57°; STD = 6.85°; CI95% = 2.1° to 7.1°). The scapulohumeral rhythm in the volleyball group showed greater scapular internal rotation (Volleyball: mean = 41.60°, STD = 9.14°; Control: mean = 35.60°, STD = 6.03°; mean difference = 6.02°, STD = 1.47°; CI95% = 4.80° to 7.25°) and anterior tilt (Volleyball: mean = -9.10°, STD = 5.87°; mean = -2.3°, STD = 9.18°; mean difference = 6.88°, STD = 0.66°; CI95% = 6.34° to 7.43°). These findings suggest that volleyball players have developed a sports-related scapular adaptive pattern. This information may be valuable for clinical assessment and rehabilitation planning in injured volleyball players and may aid in the decision-making process for determining a safe return-to-play after a shoulder injury.

Prevalence of Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit and Sex Differences in Range of Motion of Adolescent Volleyball Players: A Case-Control Study

Shoulder range of motion (ROM) adaptation is common observed among volleyball players, but studies on the shoulder joint function of adolescent athletes are lacking. This study aimed to clarify the prevalence of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) among adolescent players and differences in ROM based on sex. A questionnaire survey and ROM measurements of the shoulder joint and trunk using a plastic goniometer were conducted on 123 volleyball players (63 males and 60 females; mean age, 15.8 years). The prevalence of GIRD was investigated for internal rotation differences of >10° and total rotation motion of <5°. Questionnaire items and ROM were compared between GIRD and non-GIRD patients, and sex differences in ROM were also presented. Of the participants, 38.2% (n = 47/123) had GIRD. The GIRD group showed a decrease in external rotation on the dominant side (p = 0.003, 1 − beta = 0.84), but this was not associated with a history of shoulder injury. Sex differences in shoulder ROM showed hypomobility in males and hypermobility in females. However, there was no association between shoulder injury and GIRD among adolescent players. There are sex differences in ROM, which should be considered in future studies.

Role of active joint position sense on the upper extremity functional performance tests in college volleyball players

Background

It has been well established that proprioception plays a decisive role in shoulder stability and sport performance. Notwithstanding, there is a lack of clear association between active joint position sense (AJPS) and the performance of upper-extremity functional performance tests. The aim of this study was to determine whether the AJPS of the shoulder complex is associated with the performance of college volleyball players with the following functional tests: Y-Balance Test-Upper Quarter (YBT-UQ), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper-Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), and Seated Medicine Ball Throw (SMBT). The secondary aim was to investigate whether the magnitude of the proprioception error through the AJPS had the ability to act as a predictor for functional test scores.

Methods

Cross-sectional study with a convenience sampling. Healthy college volleyball players (≥12 h of training/week), 30 males and 22 females, between 18 and 26 years of age were included. AJPS of the shoulder (90° of flexion (90°Flex), 90° of internal rotation at 90° of abduction (90°IR/ABD), 90° of external rotation at 90° of abduction (90°ER/ABD)) and three upper-extremity functional performance tests (YBT-UQ, CKCUEST and SMBT) were assessed. A Pearson's test and a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were used to determine possible associations and relationships between outcome measures, respectively.

Results

The analysis revealed that AJPS at 90°IR/ABD and 90°ER/ABD were the only proprioceptive variables with an association to the YBT-UQ and SMBT. Despite these relationships, only the AJPS at 90°IR/ABD was associated with the performance of the YBT-UQ in; superolateral direction (β = -0.7; 95% CI [-1.3 to 0.1]; p = 0.025); inferolateral direction (β = -1.5; 95% CI [-2.1 to -0.8]; p = 0.001); and composite score (β = -0.8; 95% CI [-1.3 to -0.3]; p = 0.002). From these, AJPS at 90°IR/ABD mainly explained the variability of YBT-UQ (inferolateral direction) performance (R² = 0.32; %R² = 0.32). Our findings allow for a possible expanded role for proprioception as a contributing factor in upper limb motor control during functional movements. Further research is required to explore and distinguish the associations between proprioception, motor control and sport performance involving the upper limbs.