Shoulder’s strength, range of motion and scapulohumeral rhythm in a cohort of male master tennis players
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Abstract
Tennis is known for its repetitive upper limb movements, which can potentially lead to injuries. While past research investigated shoulder biomechanics in young athletes and female players, there is a lack of study regarding male master tennis athletes. This study aimed to compare some of the biomechanical features in the dominant shoulder between master tennis players and age-matched non-tennis athletes. Isometric strength, range of motion, and scapulohumeral-rhythm, which describes the coordinated kinematic pattern between scapula and humerus during arm elevation, with and without 2kg dumbbells, were compared between 15 master tennis athletes and 15 non-tennis athletes. Tennis athletes exhibited a higher external rotation RoM in the dominant than in the non-dominant shoulder with no differences with non-tennis athletes. Extension, abduction, adduction and external rotation strength were greater in tennis athletes compared to controls, while there were no differences in the external to internal rotation ratio. Scapulohumeral-rhythm in the dominant shoulder was similar between the two groups, with a magnitude approaching the physiological value of 2:1. Therefore, from a biomechanical perspective, the results suggest that long-term participation in tennis does not significantly affect the balance in shoulder rotator strength and the scapulohumeral-rhythm, likely not representing a risk factor for shoulder injuries.
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