Shoulder Rotation Range of Motion and Serve Speed in Adolescent Male Volleyball Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Rafael Telles, Ronaldo Alves Cunha, André Lima Yoshimura and 3 others
PMID 33842045WHAT IT FOUND
In 57 young male volleyball players, shoulder internal rotation was significantly lower on the serving side, but this stiffness did not predict serve speed.
Age and BMI explained serve velocity better than any shoulder range of motion measure.
Key findings
01Passive internal rotation and total rotation motion were significantly lower in the dominant shoulder compared to the non-dominant shoulder.
02Age and BMI were positively associated with serve speed, explaining 34.2% to 39.2% of the variability in ball velocity.
03Shoulder rotation range of motion did not show a consistent relationship with serve speed in the final statistical model.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study only included male athletes aged 15-23, so results cannot be generalized to female players, older elite athletes, or other sports. Passive range of motion measurements may not reflect the active movement patterns occurring during a dynamic serve. The statistical models had weak determination coefficients, meaning age and BMI explained only a portion of the speed variability, leaving other factors like muscle strength and technique unmeasured. There is no consensus on the best method for measuring serve speed, and the radar gun protocol may not capture all nuances of performance.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and stated that no funding was provided for this study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of association between shoulder range of motion and serve speed as evidence that GIRD is clinically irrelevant. This study measured performance velocity, not injury risk, and the authors noted that other factors like strength and technique were not assessed.