title: Comparison of shoulder rotation range of motion in professional tennis players with and without history of shoulder pain.
abstract: A glenohumeral internal rotation deficit of the dominant shoulder relative to the non-dominant shoulder (GIRD) is considered a risk factor for shoulder injury in overhead athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether professional tennis players with a history of self-reported shoulder pain show differences in rotation range of motion (ROM) of the dominant and non-dominant shoulder compared to asymptomatic controls. Forty-seven professional tennis players belonging to the Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour took part in the study: 19 with shoulder pain history and 28 without. Passive shoulder ROM was measured using a process of photography and software calculation of angles. The dominant shoulder had reduced internal rotation (IR) ROM and total rotation ROM, and increased external rotation (ER) ROM compared to the non-dominant side. These differences did not correlate significantly with years of tennis practice, years of professional play, nor the players' age. However, glenohumeral rotation ROMs correlated negatively with the duration of tennis practice and players' age. Although tennis players with shoulder pain history showed less IR ROM in both shoulders compared with the no-pain group, no significant differences between groups were found for ER ROM, side-to-side ROM asymmetries, years of tennis practice or years of professional play. In professional tennis players, limited IR ROM rather than a GIRD, seems to be associated with shoulder pain history, duration of tennis practice and the players' age, when compared to a similar cohort with no history of shoulder pain.
authors.affiliation: Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Avda. de la Universidad s/n., C.P. 03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moreno-Pérez
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreside
authors.affiliation: Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Avda. de la Universidad s/n., C.P. 03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barbado
authors.affiliation: Sports Research Centre, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Avda. de la Universidad s/n., C.P. 03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain. Electronic address: fvera@umh.es.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Vera-Garcia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013715:Tennis / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Elite athlete; Injury; Passive range of motion; Tennis