Risk Factors for Shoulder Injuries in Water Polo: a Cohort Study.
Félix Croteau, David Paradelo, David Pearsall and 1 others
PMID 34386291WHAT IT FOUND
A history of previous shoulder injury was the strongest predictor of a new injury, increasing odds 6.5 times.
Greater scapular upward rotation and loss of internal rotation range of motion were also linked to new injuries, but strength measures showed no consistent association.
Key findings
01Players with a previous shoulder injury were significantly more likely to develop a new injury, with odds 6.5 times higher than those without prior injury.
02Greater scapular upward rotation was significantly associated with new injuries, contrary to the hypothesis that decreased rotation would be a risk factor.
03Loss of internal rotation range of motion on the dominant shoulder was significantly higher in players who developed new injuries.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (n=39) limits generalizability beyond elite national-level players. The follow-up period was truncated to nine months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shorter than the planned twelve months. Strength testing was concentric only to avoid fatigue, potentially missing eccentric deficits relevant to deceleration during throwing. Scapular upward rotation was measured statically, which may not reflect dynamic movement patterns during play. Training volume and psychological factors, which are known injury risks, were not included in the analysis.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Research, Innovation and Dissemination of Information Program (PRIDI).
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that shoulder weakness causes water polo injuries. The study found that players with previous injuries had higher internal rotation strength, and strength did not predict new injuries. The strongest risk factor was a history of previous injury, followed by specific range of motion and scapular alignment patterns.