PROPHYLACTIC EVALUATION OF SHOULDER PROPRIOCEPTION IN ELITE SWIMMERS

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It is suggested that poor shoulder proprioception contributes to shoulder pain in swimmers. However, there is a lack of studies describing the measurement method for shoulder proprioception. The purposes of this preliminary study was to investigate the scapular position depending on arm scaption as a first step in the development of a measurement method for three-dimensional shoulder proprioception. An asymptomatic young adults participated in this study. His scapular rotation were measured as a function of arm position during scaption in two consecutive days. The results showed that scapular rotations are not a reproducible function of humerus elevation. Those findings suggested that the assessement of shoulder proprioception should rely on the evaluation of both gleno-humeral and scapulo-thoracic joints to be valid.