Introduction (Context): The purpose of this study was to measure and correlate pectoralis minor length (PML) and acromiohumeral distance (AHD) in male and female collegiate swimmers, overhead athletes, and a control group. Methods: Participants underwent assessment of pain related to impingement syndrome with special tests (painful arc, external rotation resistance, empty can, and Neer's impingement test), as well as range of motion, measurement of PML, and measurement of subacromial space via ultrasound. Design: Cross-sectional, correlational study. Setting: University modalities laboratory. Participants: 60 healthy subjects (20 swimmers, 20 overhead athletes, 20 controls, age = 21.5 ± 2.4 years; height = 178.7 ± 10.2 cm; weight = 76.9 ± 13.4 kg; BMI = 24 ± 3.4) with 20 subjects in each of the 3 experimental groups: swimmers, overhead athletes, and control. Results: Height-normalized PML for both the dominant and nondominant arms was positively and weakly correlated with AHD at 0° (r = .361; p = .002; (r = .277; p = .016) respectively. Differences were shown between groups in AHD at 0° but no differences were shown in PML. Conclusions: There was a weak positive relationship between height-normalized PML and AHD at 0° both in dominant and nondominant shoulders. Swimmers and overhead athletes were observed to have more AHD than controls.

Tyrimo tikslas: pagrįsti priešsezoninių peties sąnario testavimų svarbą sportuojantiems pakeltomis rankomis. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti žasto vidinės ir išorinės rotacijų amplitudžių skirtumus tarp sportininkų su ankštumo sindromu ir be jo. 2. Nustatyti žasto vidinę ir išorinę rotacijas atliekančių raumenų jėgos skirtumus tarp sportininkų su ankštumo sindromu ir be jo. 3. Nustatyti pagrindinių mentę stabilizuojančių raumenų jėgos skirtumus tarp sportininkų su ankštumo sindromu ir be jo. 4. Nustatyti, ar gauti tyrimo rezultatai gali turėti įtakos sportininkų traumatizmui. Tyrimas buvo atliktas 2010 m. gegužės – spalio mėnesiais Lietuvos Kūno kultūros akademijoje „Žmogaus motorikos laboratorijoje“. Viso dalyvavo 65 tiriamieji iš kurių, pagal klinikinius testus kitiems tyrimams atrinkta 30 tiriamųjų. Sportininkai pagal gautus klinikinių testų rezultatus buvo suskirstyti į dvi grupes: kontrolinė – sveiki sportininkai (n═15) ir tiriamoji – su peties sąnario ankštumo sindromu (n═15). Tyrimo metodai: klinikiniai testai, žasto vidinės bei išorinės rotacijų amplitudžių nustatymas, trapecinio ir priekinio dantytojo raumenų manualinis testavimas, žasto išorinės ir vidinės rotacijų jėgos matavimas izokinetiniu dinamometru bei matematinė statistika. Išvados: 1. Nustatytas reikšmingas žasto išorinės ir vidinės rotacijų amplitudžių skirtumas tarp sportininkų su peties ankštumo sindromu ir be jo. 2. Nustatyta reikšmingai didesnė žasto vidinę ir išorinę rotacijas atliekančių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research Aim: To determine the importance of preseason shoulder testing for overhead athletes. Research Objectives: 1. Determine and evaluate shoulder external and internal rotation in overhead athletes with shoulder impingement syndrome and without. 2. Determine and evaluate the differences in bilateral isokinetic peak torque during shoulder internal and external rotation movements between overhead athletes with shoulder impingement syndrome and without. 3. Determine and evaluate the difference in strength of main scapular stabilizing muscles between overhead athletes with shoulder impingement syndrome and without. 4. Determine whether results of the research may affect the athletes' shoulder injuries. Research was conducted May-October 2010 in the ,,Human Motor Skills” laboratory at the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Sciences. 65 subjects took part in the research, and based on the results of clinical testing 30 subjects were chosen for comparison. Based on the clinical tests, 15 subjects showed no symptoms (‘control group’) while 15 showed symptoms of shoulder impingement (‘research group’). Research Methods: Clinical tests, shoulder internal and external ROM measurements, measured trapezius and serratus anterior muscle strength peak torque during shoulder internal and external rotation movements, and mathematical statistics. Conclusions: 1. Significant differences were determined in shoulder ROM between overhead athletes with impingement syndrome and those without... [to full text]

Überkopfsportler*innen führen häufige Wurf- und Schlagbewegungen über Kopf bzw. der Horizontallinie aus und sind hohen Risiken für Verletzungen der Schultergelenke ausgesetzt. Die Identifikation von Risikofaktoren und adäquate Diagnostik sind für die Entwicklung gezielter präventiver und therapeutischer Interventionen essentiell. Die vorliegende Arbeit zielt darauf ab, Risikofaktoren für überlastungsbedingte Schulterbeschwerden bei Überkopfsportler*innen zu identifizieren sowie diagnostische Möglichkeiten zu erweitern und zu optimieren. Die Ergebnisse sollen Rückschlüsse auf grundlegende Verletzungsmechanismen der Schulter bei Überkopfsportler*innen liefern und zur Entwicklung und Verbesserung präventiver und therapeutischer Maßnahmen beitragen. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation wurde der Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Score, ein Fragebogen zur patientenbezogenen Erfassung der Funktionsfähigkeit von Schulter und Ellenbogen bei Überkopfsportler*innen, ins Deutsche übersetzt, kulturell adaptiert und validiert. Des Weiteren wurden methodische Aspekte der ultraschallgestützten Untersuchung des subakromialen Raumes mittels der akromiohumeralen Distanz (AHD) untersucht, wobei die untersuchten Auswertemethoden eine ausgezeichnete Reliabilität aufwiesen. Darüber hinaus konnten Einflussfaktoren auf die AHD-Messung ermittelt werden, wobei eine erhöhte Aktivität der Schultermuskulatur zu größeren AHD-Reduktionen bei der Schulterabduktion führte. Außerdem zeigten sich kurzfristige Effekte handballspezifischer Belastung im Sinne einer Verringerung der AHD, welche durch Schulterabduktion sowie einer geringen Abduktionskraft verstärkt wurde und somit das Risiko für Schulterverletzungen erhöhen kann. Diese Arbeit liefert relevante Erkenntnisse über Risikofaktoren von Schulterverletzungen bei Überkopfsportler*innen und Einflussfaktoren der ultraschallgestützten AHD-Messung. Außerdem entstand der erste deutsche validierte Fragebogen für Überkopfsportler*innen. / Overhead athletes who perform frequent overhead throwing and striking movements as part of their sport-specific motions are at high risk for both acute and chronic overuse-related injuries of the shoulder joints. In order to develop specific therapeutic interventions and preventative measures, individualized diagnosis and risk factor identification are essential. The present work aims to identify risk factors for overuse-related shoulder symptoms in overhead athletes and to expand and optimize diagnostic capabilities. The results provide conclusions on basic injury mechanisms of the shoulder in overhead athletes and contribute to the development and improvement of preventive and therapeutic measures. In this dissertation, the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Score, a questionnaire for patient-related assessment of functional capacity of the shoulder and elbow in overhead athletes, was translated into German, culturally adapted, and validated. Furthermore, methodological aspects of acromiohumeral distance (AHD) acquisition using diagnostic ultrasound were investigated. The optimal evaluation method of the AHD measurement showed excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. Factors affecting the AHD measurement were also identified, with increased shoulder muscle activity resulting in greater AHD reductions in shoulder abduction. In addition, short-term effects of handball-specific loading on AHD were assessed. In response to loading, AHD decreased, with shoulder abduction enhancing this mechanism. Low abduction strength had a negative effect on AHD maintenance, which may increase the risk of shoulder injury. This work provides relevant knowledge about risk factors of shoulder injuries in overhead athletes as well as influencing factors in AHD measurement using ultrasonography. In addition, the first German validated questionnaire specifically tailored for the group of overhead athletes was developed.

Thesis title: Effect of targeted training of the lower scapular fixators on the shoulder girdle function of rugby players The concept of the problem: Rugby is one of the toughest ball sports and there is no shortage of injuries. In addition, injuries in the shoulder area are among the most common and any possibility of reducing these injuries is beneficial. There is not much time left for compensation and targeted intervention; moreover, it is not usually led by physiotherapists but by fitness coaches and only in larger clubs. The consequence is a muscle imbalance in the shoulder girdle, which can result in the so-called scapular dyskinesis. This is turn affects the function and stability of the shoulder joint not only by the overhead athletes. It is possible to influence scapular dyskinesis in various ways. One of them is the inclusion of targeted training of lower scapular fixators into fitness training and thus their stability is improved. Objectives: The main aim of this thesis is to verify whether rugby players with painful shoulder have sufficiently scapular fixation based on kinesiological and biomechanical knowledge. Another aim of this thesis is to create such an exercise unit that would ensure the correct activity of the lower scapular fixators and verify this by measurement. The final...