Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Oct 30;14(21):2415.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics14212415.

Prevention of Overhead Shoulder Injuries in Throwing Athletes: A Systematic Review

Ayrton Moiroux-Sahraoui  1   2   3 , Jean Mazeas  1   2 , Numa Delgado  4 , Cécile Le Moteux  3 , Mickael Acco  1   2 , Maurice Douryang  5 , Andreas Bjerregaard  6 , Florian Forelli  1   2   3   7
Affiliations
Review

Prevention of Overhead Shoulder Injuries in Throwing Athletes: A Systematic Review

Ayrton Moiroux-Sahraoui et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

(1) Background: Shoulder pathologies are mostly found in overhead sports. Many risk factors have been identified, in particular a deficit in the kinetic chain. The aim of this review was to find out whether prevention by strengthening the kinetic chain can have an impact on the rate of shoulder injury in overhead pitching athletes. (2) Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out, including studies on the role of the kinetic chain in the prevention of overhead athletes. The studies used were works published over the last 10 years searched on PubMed, Cochrane Library, PEDro and Science Direct. They were also analyzed by methodological quality scales: the PEDro scale and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. (3) Results: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies analyzed revealed a significant correlation between the use of the kinetic chain and the prevention of shoulder injuries, associating factors such as muscle strength, physical performance in tests (CMJ, FMS), static and dynamic balance and the ability to transfer energy from the lower to the upper body. (4) Conclusions: It is important to integrate core stability work and lower limb strengthening to minimize excessive stress on the shoulder complex, while optimizing force production and performance.

Keywords: baseball; kinetic chain; overhead sports; prevention; rehabilitation; shoulder injuries.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Shanley E., Kissenberth M.J., Thigpen C.A., Bailey L.B., Hawkins R.J., Michener L.A., Tokish J.M., Rauh M.J. Preseason shoulder range of motion screening as a predictor of injury among youth and adolescent baseball pitchers. J. Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2015;24:1005–1013. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2015.03.012. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Chase K.I., Caine D.J., Goodwin B.J., Whitehead J.R., Romanick M.A. A prospective study of injury affecting competitive collegiate swimmers. Res. Sports Med. 2013;21:111–123. doi: 10.1080/15438627.2012.757224. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Walker H., Gabbe B., Wajswelner H., Blanch P., Bennell K. Shoulder pain in swimmers: A 12-month prospective cohort study of incidence and risk factors. Phys. Ther. Sport. 2012;13:243–249. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2012.01.001. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Asker M., Brooke H.L., Waldén M., Tranaeus U., Johansson F., Skillgate E., Holm L.W. Risk factors for, and prevention of, shoulder injuries in overhead sports: A systematic review with best-evidence synthesis. Br. J. Sports Med. 2018;52:1312–1319. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098254. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Tooth C., Gofflot A., Schwartz C., Croisier J.-L., Beaudart C., Bruyère O., Forthomme B. Risk Factors of Overuse Shoulder Injuries in Overhead Athletes: A Systematic Review. Sports Health. 2020;12:478–487. doi: 10.1177/1941738120931764. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources