Developing reliable measures of the passive torque-angle relationship for shoulder internal and external rotation: Implications for overhead athletics. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wight, Jeff T.; Grover, Guy B.; Chow, John W.; Borsa, Paul A.; Wikstrom, Erik A.; Tillman, Mark D.
• Is Part Of: Physical therapy in sport. Volume 33(2018)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 88
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Shoulder -- Flexibility -- External rotation -- Internal rotation; Sports physical therapy -- Periodicals; Sports injuries -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Athletic Injuries -- diagnosis -- Periodicals; Athletic Injuries -- therapy -- Periodicals; Physical Therapy -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; 615.82088796
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2018.07.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-853X

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: 1) Thoroughly assess shoulder flexibility by establishing the passive torque-angle relationship for internal and external rotation with the arm in an overhead athletics position (abducted 90°) and 2) test the reliability of four passive torque-angle measures. Design: Reliability study. Setting: Data were collected in a university biomechanics laboratory. Participants: Bilateral shoulder flexibility of 15 male college students (20.7 ± 1.1 y) was evaluated twice in two sessions over 7–10 days. Main outcome measures: For both ER and IR, reliability was assessed bilaterally (intra-session, inter-session, and inter-tester) for the traditional range of motion measure and three novel kinetic measures: torque at end ROM, resistance onset angle, rotational stiffness. This resulted in 48 total assessments. Results: Thirty-four assessments had good to excellent reliability (ICC ≥ 0.8), 10 had fair reliability (0.7 ≤ ICC < 0.8), and 4 had poor reliability (ICC< 0.7). Three of the four flexibility measures had a good overall ICC score: ROM (0.83), torque at end ROM (0.84), and resistance onset angle (0.81). The fourth, stiffness, had a fair overall reliability score (0.74). Conclusions: The passive torque-angle measures should be assimilated into clinical and research settings to determine the relevance to injury, rehabilitation, and performance. Highlights: We establish the entire passive torque-angle plot for shoulder internal and external rotation. The overall reliability for the three novel flexibility measures was fair to excellent. The torque-angle measures can be used to thoroughly assess shoulder flexibility.