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. 2020 Apr;55(2):221-225.
doi: 10.1055/s-0039-3400524. Epub 2020 Mar 23.

Comparison of the Medial And Lateral Rotations of the Shoulder Between Non-Athletes and Professional Squash Athletes

José Carlos Souza Vilela  1 , Haroldo Oliveira Freitas Júnior de  1 , Thiago Rodrigues Sérgio  1 , Bruno Jannotti Pádua  1 , Eduardo Louzada Costa da  1 , Thalles Leandro Abreu Machado  1 , Tadeu Fonseca Barbosa  1
Affiliations

Comparison of the Medial And Lateral Rotations of the Shoulder Between Non-Athletes and Professional Squash Athletes

José Carlos Souza Vilela et al. Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo). 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Objective To compare the medial and lateral rotations of the shoulders and the distances between the coracoid process and the cubital fossa of non-athletic individuals to those of elite squash players. Method The cross-sectional study was performed between March and August 2017. Male and female non-athletes ( n = 628) were selected at the Orthopedic Emergency Service of our institution. The inclusion criteria were: age between 18 and 60 years, no physical disabilities or cognitive impairments and absence of pain in the upper limbs. Elite squash players ( n = 30) of various nationalities were selected at an event held in our city. All of the athletes had practiced this sport under high performance requirements for > 10 years and/or 10.000 hours, and all were asymptomatic. Demographic and clinical data were collected through interviews, while physical examinations and shoulder assessments were performed by a single orthopedic practitioner. Results If compared with non-athletes, elite squash players presented significant ( p < 0.001) mean losses of 23°34' in medial rotation and significant ( p < 0.003) mean gains of 10°23' in lateral rotation of the dominant shoulders. There was a significant difference ( p < 0.008) between non-athletes and athletes regarding the distance between the coracoid process and the cubital fossa in the dominant arm. Conclusion Intensive squash practice causes adaptive changes that trigger glenohumeral medial rotation deficit, accompanied by significant lateral rotation gain, and can generate pathogenic alterations in the shoulder.

Keywords: range of motion; rotation; shoulder joint.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflito de Interesses Os autores declaram não haver conflito de interesses.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Supine position adopted during physical examination showing: (A) assessment of medial rotation, and (B) assessment of lateral rotation. Source: Author's personal archive.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Supine position adopted during physical examination showing the distance between the coracoid process and the cubital fossa. Source: Author's personal archive
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A posição supina adotada durante o exame físico mostra: (A) avaliação da rotação medial e (B) avaliação da rotação lateral. Fonte: arquivo pessoal do autor.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Posição supina adotada durante o exame físico mostrando a distância entre o processo coracoide e a fossa cubital. Fonte: arquivo pessoal do autor
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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