Aim: Shoulder pain and lesions are very common among overhead athletes: 9 out of 10 tennis players report radiographic signs of structural lesions probably brought about by overhead arm movements (Lädermann et al., 2016) . Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze shoulder internal and external rotators muscle strength ratios and differences concerning the hand grip strength. Methods: This study enrolled 10 Italian nationally ranked female tennis players (19±9 years old, 164±7 cm, 54±7 kg 11±9 years of competitive experience, 3±1 training sessions per week) who play the two-hand backhand. The shoulder muscles isometric strength was assessed by utilizing a dynamometer (MicroFet, Hoggan Scientific, Salt Lake City, UT, USA), while the hand grip strength by means of a CAMRY-EH101 hand dynamometer (Henqi, Guangdong, China). Results: The players, in the dominant arm, have stronger internal rotators than externals (p < 0.001, ES = 2.38, +51%), and these said internal rotators are stronger in the dominant arm compared to the non-dominant (p < 0.01, ES = 0.44, +8%). If the non-dominant arm is taken into account, internal rotators are stronger than externals (p < 0.01, ES = 2.99, +45%). The hand grip strength was higher in the dominant hand compare to the non-dominant one (p < 0.01, ES = 0.70, +13%), while both of them were positively correlated with shoulder’s muscles isometric strength. Conclusions: This study highlighted large differences between shoulder muscles strength. Hence, specific training protocols to compensate for these imbalances, because they must not be greater than 15-20% (Witvrouw et al., 2003; Wang et al., 2006).
Relationship between shoulder muscles and grip strength in female tennis players: a pilot study
BERATTO, LUCA;ABATE DAGA, FEDERICO;GOLLIN, MASSIMILIANO
2017-01-01
Abstract
Aim: Shoulder pain and lesions are very common among overhead athletes: 9 out of 10 tennis players report radiographic signs of structural lesions probably brought about by overhead arm movements (Lädermann et al., 2016) . Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze shoulder internal and external rotators muscle strength ratios and differences concerning the hand grip strength. Methods: This study enrolled 10 Italian nationally ranked female tennis players (19±9 years old, 164±7 cm, 54±7 kg 11±9 years of competitive experience, 3±1 training sessions per week) who play the two-hand backhand. The shoulder muscles isometric strength was assessed by utilizing a dynamometer (MicroFet, Hoggan Scientific, Salt Lake City, UT, USA), while the hand grip strength by means of a CAMRY-EH101 hand dynamometer (Henqi, Guangdong, China). Results: The players, in the dominant arm, have stronger internal rotators than externals (p < 0.001, ES = 2.38, +51%), and these said internal rotators are stronger in the dominant arm compared to the non-dominant (p < 0.01, ES = 0.44, +8%). If the non-dominant arm is taken into account, internal rotators are stronger than externals (p < 0.01, ES = 2.99, +45%). The hand grip strength was higher in the dominant hand compare to the non-dominant one (p < 0.01, ES = 0.70, +13%), while both of them were positively correlated with shoulder’s muscles isometric strength. Conclusions: This study highlighted large differences between shoulder muscles strength. Hence, specific training protocols to compensate for these imbalances, because they must not be greater than 15-20% (Witvrouw et al., 2003; Wang et al., 2006).
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