Can the Scapular Dyskinesis Test be Associated with Throwing Related Injuries During the Course of Collegiate Baseball Seasons?
Masaaki Tsuruike, Yohei Mukaihara, Todd S Ellenbecker
PMID 35693851WHAT IT FOUND
Scapular dyskinesis did not significantly predict throwing-related shoulder injuries in collegiate baseball pitchers.
Only five such injuries occurred over four seasons, leaving the study too small to confirm or rule out a link.
Key findings
01There was no significant difference in the frequency of throwing-related shoulder injuries between pitchers with and without scapular dyskinesis on their throwing side.
02The study observed only five throwing-related shoulder injuries over four seasons, which the authors note may be insufficient to conclude no statistical relationship exists.
03No relationship was found between scapular dyskinesis on the throwing arm side and throwing-related elbow injuries.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only five throwing-related shoulder injuries, making it severely underpowered to detect a true association. All participants were asymptomatic collegiate pitchers, so findings do not apply to younger, older, or symptomatic athletes. The study was limited to a single team, reducing generalizability. The 3.2 kg weight used for testing may not be optimal for all body weights, as noted by the authors.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that scapular dyskinesis is a proven risk factor for shoulder injury. The odds ratio was high but not statistically significant, and the study had too few injuries to draw any firm conclusions about risk.