The cricketer's shoulder and injury: Asymmetries in range of movement and muscle length.
Benita Olivier, Bhakti Lala, Nadia Gillion
PMID 32285016WHAT IT FOUND
Pre-season shoulder range did not differ between injured and uninjured cricketers.
Baseline pain that did not stop play was associated with later time-loss shoulder injury in 32 players.
Key findings
01No pre-season shoulder range of motion differences were found between injured and uninjured players.
02Six of the nine players who sustained a dominant time-loss shoulder injury had shoulder pain at baseline, compared with four of the 23 uninjured players.
03Among uninjured players, the dominant pectoralis minor was shorter than the non-dominant side.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 32 players were analysed after 4 of the 36 measured players were removed, so the study is small. The cohort design can show association but not cause. Confounding factors such as previous injuries, training, leisure activities, diet and lifestyle were not accounted for. The pilot reliability for non-dominant internal rotation was low (r = 0.32; p = 0.68). Players with baseline shoulder pain that did not limit participation were included, so some later injuries may have involved pre-existing pain rather than a new injury. Only male cricketers were studied.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that pre-season shoulder range asymmetry predicts injury. The injured and uninjured groups did not differ on pre-season range measures, and the positive association was with baseline shoulder pain.