title: Isometric evaluation of rotator cuff muscles in volleyball athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate, in a group of semi-professional volleyball players, the function of the rotator cuff muscles with a new specific device.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have studied 30 asymptomatic volleyball players, 15 females and 15 males, all right handed central or lateral spikers, with some specific functional tests. Every subject was evaluated by some common clinical tests to detect shoulder range of motion (ROM) and rotator cuff muscles strength in both sides. Athletes were also submitted to an isometric bilateral shoulder strength test, with a specific upper limb dynamometer (Dynatorq), in three different positions: 1) arm 0° abducted; 2) arm 90° abducted and 90° external rotation, to try to reproduce the spike gesture; 3) arm behind the thorax, as a simulation of clinical lift-off test. All clinical and instrumental data were collected in male and female groups and, in each group, comparisons between dominant and non dominant shoulders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data show in all athletes an initial postero-superior impingement with significant weakness of the subscapularis muscle in the dominant shoulder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In all overhead athletes, and in particular in volleyball spikers, a pre-clinical diagnosis of lack of strength of the subscapularis muscle in the dominant side, before the occurrence of pain or discomfort signs, could be an important diagnostic aspect to avoid or delay the back-retraction of the joint capsule of the shoulder.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Rehabilitation Center Performance Valdelsa, Poggibonsi, Siena, Italy. martelli@unisi.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciccarone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grazzini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Signorini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urgelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000502:physiology*; D054798:Volleyball / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult