title: The immediate effects of muscle energy technique on posterior shoulder tightness: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare a muscle energy technique (MET) for the glenohumeral joint (GHJ) horizontal abductors and an MET for the GHJ external rotators to improve GHJ range of motion (ROM) in baseball players.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Overhead athletes often exhibit loss of GHJ ROM in internal rotation, which has been associated with shoulder pathology. Current stretching protocols aimed at improving flexibility of the posterior shoulder have resulted in inconsistent outcomes. Although utilization of MET has been hypothesized to lengthen tissue, there are limited empirical data describing the effectiveness of such stretches for treating posterior shoulder tightness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one Division I baseball players were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: MET for the GHJ horizontal abductors (n = 19), MET for the GHJ external rotators (n = 22), and control (n = 20). We measured preintervention and postintervention GHJ horizontal adduction and internal rotation ROM, and conducted analyses of covariance, followed by Tukey honestly significant difference post hoc analysis for significant group-by-time interactions (P<.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group treated with the MET for the horizontal abductors had a significantly greater increase in GHJ horizontal adduction ROM postintervention (mean ± SD, 6.8° ± 10.5°) compared to the control group (-1.1° ± 6.8°) (P = .011) and a greater increase in internal rotation ROM postintervention (4.2° ± 5.3°) compared to the group treated with the MET for the external rotators (0.2° ± 6.3°) (P = .020) and the control group (-0.2° ± 4.0°) (P = .029). No significant differences among groups were found for any other variables (P>.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single application of an MET for the GHJ horizontal abductors provides immediate improvements in both GHJ horizontal adduction and internal rotation ROM in asymptomatic collegiate baseball players. Application of MET for the horizontal abductors may be useful to gain ROM in overhead athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapy, level 2b-.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Recreation, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA. stephanie-moore@uky.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Kevin G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Laudner
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: McLoda
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shaffer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001484:Baseball / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009129:Muscle Tonus; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult