title: Glenohumeral range of motion (ROM) and isometric strength of professional team handball athletes, part III: changes over the playing season.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to investigate the relation of workload on range of motion and isometric strength of team handball athletes' shoulders over a competitive season.
  
  
  METHODS
  31 Professional male handball athletes underwent clinical shoulder examinations. Athletes were examined subsequently during the complete playing season (week 0, 6, 22 and 40) to determine bilateral isometric shoulder rotational strength and active range of motion (ROM). In addition, relative (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and absolute (standard error of measurement) reliability were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intraobserver reliability was excellent (ICC 0.76-0.98) for isometric strength and flexibility measurements. Internal rotation (IR) and total arc ROM in the throwing shoulder (TS) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in both sequences (week 22 to week 40, week 0 to week 40). External rotation (ER) ROM and isometric strength in IR and ER did not change significantly. Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) and external rotation gain (ERG) of the TS decreased significantly between week 22 and week 40, but both did not change overall (week 0 to week 40). There was significant influence on IR ROM (week 22 to week 40) and strength in ER (week 0 to week 40) in the non-throwing shoulder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several characteristics of handball players' shoulders changed significantly from the beginning to the end of a season. More specifically, the repetitive forces accumulated during the competitive season resulted in altered GIRD, ERG and isometric strength of the dominant glenohumeral joint.
authors: Center for Orthopedic Surgery (ZOC), Burckhardtstrasse 60, 34346, Hann. Muenden, Germany. dr.fieseler@zoc-hann-muenden.de.
authors: Georg
authors: G
authors: Fieseler
authors: Center for Orthopedic Surgery (ZOC), Burckhardtstrasse 60, 34346, Hann. Muenden, Germany.|Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Jungermann
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Koke
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Irlenbusch
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: Karl-Stefan
authors: KS
authors: Delank
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Schwesig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012621:Seasons; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: External rotation gain (ERG); Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD); Intraobserver reliability; Team handball; Thrower’s shoulder