Reliability of Upper Extremity Functional Performance Tests for Overhead Sports Activities.
Bryan L Riemann, Kevin E Wilk, George J Davies
PMID 37425106WHAT IT FOUND
For overhead athletes, the seated shot put and half-kneeling rebound tests were the most repeatable over two sessions.
The prone medicine ball drop tests were less repeatable, and the 90/90 version performed worst.
Key findings
01The half-kneeling rebound test and seated single-arm shot put test showed excellent repeatability, while the prone medicine ball drop at 90 degrees shoulder abduction and 90 degrees elbow flexion was less repeatable.
02The limb symmetry index was repeatable only for the shot put test; the other three limb symmetry values were poor to fair.
03The medicine ball tests improved on the second session, while the shot put distance did not.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The participants were healthy young adults with overhead sport history, not patients recovering from shoulder injury or surgery. The study measured repeatability over a short interval, not whether the tests predict safe return to sport. Analyses were split by sex, leaving 20 participants in each group, so some error estimates were wide. The testing sessions were 3 to 7 days apart, which is shorter than the gaps often used to monitor rehabilitation. The medicine ball tests showed learning effects, so a small gain in catches may reflect practice rather than recovery. The paper did not report level of play or detailed sport history, and most participants played unilateral sports.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use these tests as proof that an athlete is ready for overhead sport. The study showed how repeatable scores were in healthy athletes, not whether the tests predict injury risk or return to play.