Alterations in scapular position with fatigue: a study in swimmers.
OBJECTIVE
To use two commonly accepted measurement techniques to determine whether intense swimming exercise altered scapular position in male high school swimmers. Scapular position differences between dominant and nondominant shoulders were also investigated.


METHODS
A pilot study on 10 asymptomatic male volunteers established the reliability of the scapular position measurement techniques described by DiVeta and Kibler (intratester intraclass correlation coefficients 0.86-0.98). Scapular position was prospectively recorded before and after swimming practice just prior to tapering for championship competition.


METHODS
Twenty male high school swimmers from two local teams, ages 13 to 18 years.


METHODS
Subjects completed their usual 2-hour swimming practice at the peak of their training intensity.


METHODS
Change in scapular position preexercise versus postexercise.


RESULTS
Scapular position did not change preexercise to postexercise for either the DiVeta (22.2 +/- 1.4 to 22.3 +/- 1.5 cm, p = 0.96) or Kibler (9.2 +/- 1.4 to 9.4 +/- 1.3 cm, p = 1.00) measures. Nondominant preexercise scapular position was generally more medial and moved laterally with exercise, becoming roughly equivalent to the dominant shoulder.


CONCLUSIONS
The DiVeta and Kibler scapular position measurement techniques are acceptably reliable. However these techniques generally failed to demonstrate significant changes in scapular position after intense swimming exercise in the study population. Nondominant side scapulae typically moved laterally postexercise. These findings and implications are discussed.
Crotty
N M
NM
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Smith
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012540:Scapula / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*