Thoracic Spine and Shoulder Kinematics and Muscle Activation in Rock Climbers With Shoulder Pain

NCT05950360 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NYCU112095AE
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 37
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background and Purpose: Rock climbing has been a popular sport in recent years. Rock climbing includes various open-chain and closed-chain arm movements. Overhead reaching and pull-up are the basic rock climbing elements heavily involving upper extremities. Different inclination of the wall and terrain also demand sufficient range of motion and strength of the trunk. Generally overhead reaching and arm elevation may have similar shoulder kinematics, including scapular upward rotation, posterior tilt and external rotation. Arm elevation usually is accompanied with thoracic extension and unilateral lateral flexion and rotation. During pull-up, the scapula rotates downward and externally and tilts anterior. The prevalence of shoulder injuries are about 17%, the second most common among rock climbing injuries. In the shoulder injuries, shoulder labrum lesions and shoulder impingement are the most common. Previous studies have shown that individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome have shown decreased upward and externally rotation during arm elevation, and have limited thoracic extension range of motion and greater kyphotic posture. However, a previous study found no difference in the scapular kinematics and scapular muscle activation during pull-up in rock climbers with shoulder pain and healthy climbers. The non-significant finding may be due to that the pure pull-up may not mimic climbing tasks, in which the shoulder and trunk need to adapt different inclination of the wall. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the kinematics and muscle activation of the thoracic spine and shoulder in rock climbers with shoulder pain during climbing tasks with different reaching angles. Methods: Thirty sport climbers with shoulder pain and 30 healthy climbers matched with gender, age, and dominant hand will be recruited in this study. Testing tasks will include arm elevation in the scapular plane, overhead reaching to the target 15° backward to the frontal plane, pull-up with overhead reaching forward and backward. Thoracic and shoulder kinematics will be collected using an electromagnetic tracking system. The upper trapezius, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae were collected with surface electromyography (EMG). A two-way mixed ANOVA will be used to determine differences between groups in the kinematics and EMG measures at the different arm elevation angles for the testing tasks.

Conditions

Shoulder Pain; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Keywords

Rock climbers; Shoulder pain; Shoulder impingement syndrome; Thoracic mobility; Thoracic kinematics

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Shoulder kinematics during arm elevation

  Scapular kinematics, including anterior/posterior tilt, upward/downward rotation, and internal/external rotation in scapular plane elevation at 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°, and will be described with degree (°).

  Immediately during the experiment

• Thoracic kinematics during arm elevation

  Thoracic kinematics, including flexion, extension, side flexion and rotation in arm elevation at 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°, and will be described with degree (°).

  Immediately during the experiment

• Shoulder kinematics during pull-up with overhead reaching forward and backward

  Scapular kinematics, including anterior/posterior tilt, upward/downward rotation, and internal/external rotation, and will be described with degree (°).

  Immediately during the experiment

• Thoracic kinematics during pull-up with overhead reaching forward and backward

  Thoracic kinematics, including flexion, extension, side flexion and rotation

  Immediately during the experiment

• Scapular muscles activation during arm elevation

  The root mean square of electromyography (EMG) data of the upper trapezius, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and latissimus dorsi will be normalized by the maximum voluntary contraction amplitude (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction, %) and calculated over three 30° increments of motion during arm elevation from 30° to 120°, including 30° - 60°, 60° - 90°, and 90° - 120°.

  Immediately during the experiment

• Trunk muscle activation during arm elevation

  The root mean square of electromyography (EMG) data of the erector spinae will be normalized by the maximum voluntary contraction amplitude (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction, %) and calculated over three 30° increments of motion during arm elevation from 30° to 120°, including 30° - 60°, 60° - 90°, and 90° - 120°.

  Immediately during the experiment

• Scapular muscles activation during pull-up with overhead reaching forward and backward

  The root mean square of electromyography (EMG) data of the upper trapezius, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and latissimus dorsi will be normalized by the maximum voluntary contraction amplitude (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction, %)

  Immediately during the experiment

• Trunk muscle activation during overhead reaching forward and backward.

  The root mean square of electromyography (EMG) data of the erector spinae will be normalized by the maximum voluntary contraction amplitude (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction, %)

  Immediately during the experiment

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Thoracic mobility

  Immediately during the experiment

• Thoracic kyphosis angle

  Immediately during the experiment

• Muscle length of pectoralis major

  Immediately during the experiment

• Muscle length of pectoralis minor

  Immediately during the experiment

• Muscle length of latissimus dorsi

  Immediately during the experiment

Study Arms (2)

rock climbers (healthy group)

Climbers without shoulder pain

Device: Electromagnetic tracking system, surface electromyography

rock climbers (shoulder pain group)

Climbers with shoulder pain

Device: Electromagnetic tracking system, surface electromyography

Interventions

Electromagnetic tracking system, surface electromyography DEVICE

arm elevation in the scapular plane, overhead reaching to the target 15° backward to the frontal plane, pull-up with overhead reaching forward and backward.

rock climbers (healthy group); rock climbers (shoulder pain group)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Rock climbers with and without shoulder pain

You may qualify if:

• Ages ranges from 18-40 years old
• At least one year of experience of sport climbing
• Sport Climbing frequency ≥ 6 hours per week in the last one month
• Shoulder pain ≥ 1 month
• Minimum of 3/10 on the numerical rating scale (NRS) in the last one month
• Ages ranges from 18-40 years old
• Gender, age, dominant hand and experience matching to shoulder pain climbers group
• At least one year of experience of sport climbing
• Sport Climbing at least 6 hours per week in the last one month
• No history of shoulder pain in the last six months

You may not qualify if:

• History of upper limb surgery or fracture
• History of shoulder dislocation
• History of neck pain, back pain, or elbow injuries in the last one year
• Wrist or finger pain during sport climbing \> 3/10 on the numerical rating scale (NRS)
• Shoulder pain during pull-up \> shoulder pain during sport climbing
• Intensive exercise within 12 hours or any delay onset muscle soreness
• Systemic autoimmune disease
• Cancer
• Pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Taipei, 112, Taiwan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Shoulder Pain; Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Interventions

Electromyography

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Arthralgia; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Shoulder Injuries; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Electrodiagnosis; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Myography

Study Officials

• YIN-LIANG LIN

  National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 11, 2023
• First Posted: July 18, 2023
• Study Start: November 11, 2023
• Primary Completion: August 28, 2024
• Study Completion: November 13, 2024
• Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TW (1)