Physiological adaptations in the dominant and non-dominant shoulder in male competitive junior volleyball players

Abstract

Summary Background In the overhead sport volleyball, the glenohumeral joint is subject to repeatedly high biomechanical loading. For injury prevention, especially in adolescent players, periodic orthopaedic and biomechanical monitoring of the stabilising structures is advisable, thereby contributing to a well-balanced state of shoulder mobility and stability. The aim of the study was to examine 20 healthy male competitive junior volleyball players (16 ± 1 years) to quantify sport-specific orthopaedic and biomechanical adaptations at that age. Material and methods Standard sport-orthopaedic testing was combined with overhead-specific isokinetic shoulder strength and mobility tests. The isokinetic tests were carried out in the volleyball-specific anatomic planes of external/internal rotation (ER/IR) and horizontal abduction/adduction (hAbd/hAdd) in a typical overhead posture. Results Sport-orthopaedic testing did not yield any pathological adaptations, yet revealed significant functional differences between sides (p Conclusions Mean lateral asymmetries in shoulder strength and mobility as derived in this study for healthy male adolescent volleyball players may serve as a reference of functional shoulder adaptations for future sport-orthopaedic and biomechanical shoulder diagnostics and thereby contribute to a well-balanced training control in competitive junior and junior elite sports.