Effectiveness of a Posterior Shoulder Stretching Program on University-Level Overhead Athletes: Randomized Controlled Trial
Objective:
To determine whether a posterior shoulder stretch was effective in increasing internal rotation (IR) and horizontal adduction (HAd) range of motion (ROM) in overhead athletes identified as having reduced mobility.
Design:
Randomized controlled trial (parallel design).
Setting:
University-based sports medicine clinic.
Participants:
Thirty-seven university-level athletes in volleyball, swimming, and tennis, with IR ROM deficits ≥15°, were randomized into intervention or control groups. No subjects withdrew or were lost to follow-up.
Intervention:
The intervention group performed the “sleeper stretch” daily for 8 weeks, whereas the control group performed usual activities.
Main Outcome Measures:
Independent t tests determined whether IR and HAd ROM differences between groups were significant at 8 weeks and 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance tests measured the rate of shoulder ROM change. Subject-reported shoulder pain and function were obtained at each evaluation.
Results:
Significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups' IR and HAd ROM at 8 weeks (P
Source: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research
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