TY - JOUR
T1 - Acromio-Humeral Distance Is Associated with Shoulder External Strength in National Elite Badminton Players— A Preliminary Study
AU - Schmidt, Simon Vadstrup
AU - Engelhardt, Jannik Andersen
AU - Cools, Ann
AU - Magnusson, Stig Peter
AU - Couppé, Christian
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Purpose: To examine acromio-humeral distance (AHD) and shoulder isometric strength for external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) in national elite badminton players. Methods: Seven elite badminton players with asymptomatic shoulders aged 24 ± 4 (mean ± SD) from the Danish national badminton team were investigated. Shoulder AHD, isometric strength in ER and IR were bilaterally assessed with ultrasonography and a hand-held dynamometer (HHD). Results: AHD was greater on the dominant vs. the nondominant side (p = 0.018). Moreover, IR strength was greater on the dominant side vs. the nondominant side (p = 0.041). Furthermore, AHD and ER strength were highly correlated on the dominant side (p = 0.007, r = 0.900). A correlation was also shown between AHD and the ER/IR strength ratio on the dominant side (p = 0.033, r = 0.793). Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates that shoulder ER strength is strongly associated with AHD size, largely reflecting supraspinatus tendon-muscle hypertrophy as a result of sport-specific adaptation in national elite badminton players with asymptomatic shoulders. These novel data also suggest that habitual loading of the shoulder improves the supraspinatus tendon size, which may lower the mechanical stress and potentially reduce the risk of injury. This warrants strengthening the shoulder external rotators as a potential strategy to reduce the risk of future shoulder injury.
AB - Purpose: To examine acromio-humeral distance (AHD) and shoulder isometric strength for external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) in national elite badminton players. Methods: Seven elite badminton players with asymptomatic shoulders aged 24 ± 4 (mean ± SD) from the Danish national badminton team were investigated. Shoulder AHD, isometric strength in ER and IR were bilaterally assessed with ultrasonography and a hand-held dynamometer (HHD). Results: AHD was greater on the dominant vs. the nondominant side (p = 0.018). Moreover, IR strength was greater on the dominant side vs. the nondominant side (p = 0.041). Furthermore, AHD and ER strength were highly correlated on the dominant side (p = 0.007, r = 0.900). A correlation was also shown between AHD and the ER/IR strength ratio on the dominant side (p = 0.033, r = 0.793). Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates that shoulder ER strength is strongly associated with AHD size, largely reflecting supraspinatus tendon-muscle hypertrophy as a result of sport-specific adaptation in national elite badminton players with asymptomatic shoulders. These novel data also suggest that habitual loading of the shoulder improves the supraspinatus tendon size, which may lower the mechanical stress and potentially reduce the risk of injury. This warrants strengthening the shoulder external rotators as a potential strategy to reduce the risk of future shoulder injury.
KW - overhead athlete
KW - shoulder rotational strength
KW - sport-specific adaptations
KW - supraspinatus tendon hypertrophy
KW - ultrasound
U2 - 10.3390/sports9040048
DO - 10.3390/sports9040048
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33807130
AN - SCOPUS:85104722211
VL - 9
JO - Sports
JF - Sports
SN - 2075-4663
IS - 4
M1 - 48
ER -