Scapula Adaption in Overhead Athletes

NCT03568487 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 201712089RINC
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 170
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Previous studies have proposed various ways to assess scapular dyskinesis, but they were impractical in clinical setting or the validity was questioned. The novel scapulometer we developed can measure the prominence of scapular medial border and inferior angle. We would like to examine its reliability and validity in subjects with symptomatic scapular dyskinesis. The long-term, high-intensity, unilateral loading may cause overhead athletes to develop adaptive changes in shoulder kinematics, range of motion (ROM) and strength in the dominant arm. We hypothesized that these changes may be related to scapular dyskinesis. According to the previous studies, we expect electromyography (EMG) biofeedback training can help improve the ratio of muscle activation of scapular muscle.

Conditions

Scapular Dyskinesis

Keywords

scapular dyskinesis; EMG biofeedback; scapulometer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change of range of motion after 4-week training

  Passive interior rotation ROM and exterior rotation ROM of the glenohumeral joint will be assessed bilaterally using a hand-held standard universal goniometer. The player will lay supine with the humerus abducted to 90 degrees and elbow flexed to 90 degrees. The fulcrum of the goniometer is set at the olecranon process.

  Baseline and after 4-week training

• Change of muscle strength after 4-week training

  The maximal isometric strength of 8 shoulder-scapula complex muscles will be assessed bilaterally using a handheld dynamometer. Each test will be performed twice, with a 30-second rest period between tests. The largest strength value for each muscle will be used for statistical analyses, normalized to body weight (in kilograms), and expressed as a percentage for inter individual comparison.

  Baseline and after 4-week training

• Change of shoulder complex kinematics after 4-week training

  The Polhemus 3Space FASTRAK system (Polhemus Inc., Colchester, VT, USA) will be used to record shoulder complex kinematics.

  Baseline and after 4-week training

• Change of muscular activities after 4-week training

  Bipolar surface electromyographic (EMG) electrodes will be placed over the upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) of the dominant shoulder to record muscular activities.

  Baseline and after 4-week training

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Forward shoulder posture (acromial distance)

  Baseline and after 4-week training

• Pectoralis minor muscle length

  Baseline and after 4-week training

Study Arms (2)

Intensive scapula-focused approach

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Intensive scapula-focused approach

Control therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: Control Therapy

Interventions

Intensive scapula-focused approach OTHER

scapula-focused approach with exercises, 3 x 20 min training per week for 4 weeks

Intensive scapula-focused approach

Control Therapy OTHER

not have any physical training but is encouraged to stay active as usual.

Control therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• (1) with scapular dyskinesis
• (2) overhead players (baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and so on) at high schools

You may not qualify if:

• if they have a history of shoulder pain or injury

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Taiwan University Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Taiwan University

Taipei, Taiwan

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 30, 2018
• First Posted: June 26, 2018
• Study Start: January 2, 2019
• Primary Completion: July 31, 2022
• Study Completion: July 31, 2022
• Last Updated: March 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-05

Locations

TW (1)