Comparison of the Effects of Static-Stretching and Tubing Exercises on Acute Shoulder Range of Motion in Collegiate Baseball Players.
Andrew M Busch, Jackson Browstein, Richard Ulm
PMID 33654578WHAT IT FOUND
Both static stretching and dynamic tubing exercises improved shoulder range of motion for up to one hour in collegiate baseball players.
Static stretching produced slightly greater internal rotation gains, but neither method resolved existing internal rotation deficits. Either warm-up strategy is effective for acute mobility.
Key findings
01Both static stretching and dynamic tubing interventions significantly improved internal rotation, external rotation, and total rotational range of motion immediately after, 30 minutes after, and 60 minutes after the intervention.
02Static stretching resulted in a statistically significant but small average improvement of 1.73 degrees more in internal rotation compared to dynamic tubing.
03Despite improvements, all participants retained greater than 20 degrees of internal rotation deficit after both interventions, meaning neither method resolved glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study measured only acute effects up to one hour; it is unknown how long the range of motion improvements last beyond that window. Participants' daily training loads, including strength routines and throwing volume in the days prior to testing, were not controlled or recorded, which could have influenced baseline stiffness. The study population was limited to healthy collegiate baseball players, so results may not generalize to professional athletes, high school players, or those with existing shoulder pathology. The difference in internal rotation improvement between static stretching and dynamic tubing was statistically significant but clinically negligible (1.73 degrees).
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest and stated that no funding was received for this study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that either warm-up strategy will correct glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) or reduce injury risk based on that specific metric. The study showed that despite significant range of motion gains, all participants retained greater than 20 degrees of internal rotation deficit, indicating that acute stretching or tubing does not reverse the structural adaptations causing GIRD.