Effectiveness of a Shoulder Exercise Program in Division I Collegiate Baseball Players During the Fall Season.
Hillary A Plummer, Shannon M Plosser, Paul R Diaz and 2 others
PMID 35136694WHAT IT FOUND
A two-month shoulder exercise program improved horizontal adduction range of motion and external rotation surplus in collegiate baseball players.
However, external rotation strength decreased. The program did not improve internal rotation range of motion or total range of motion.
Key findings
01Horizontal adduction range of motion significantly increased on the throwing arm, with 71% of participants showing a meaningful response.
02External rotation strength significantly decreased on both the throwing and non-throwing arms over the intervention period.
03External rotation surplus significantly increased, driven by an increase in throwing arm external rotation and a decrease in non-throwing arm external rotation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted on a single team with no control group, so changes cannot be attributed solely to the exercise program rather than normal seasonal adaptation. The intervention lasted only two months (fall season), which may have been too short to elicit strength gains or prevent strength loss. Training frequency dropped from three times a week to once a week, which may have contributed to the observed decrease in external rotation strength. Compliance with additional exercises beyond the prescribed program was unknown. Isometric strength testing may not capture rate of force development, which is more relevant to throwing performance.
Declared interests
The paper includes a disclaimer stating views are those of the authors and not official Department of the Army positions, suggesting military funding or affiliation, but no specific commercial conflicts of interest are declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the decrease in external rotation strength as evidence that the exercise program caused harm. Without a control group, it is impossible to determine if this decrease was due to the training, the reduction in training frequency, or normal physiological adaptation to baseball participation over the season.