The Effect of a Shoulder Training Program to Prevent Shoulder Pain Among Girls in Junior Team Handball

Very little is known about the potential for preventing the prevalence of shoulder complaints in handball players, particularly younger players. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a shoulder training program on shoulder pain during a season of team handball.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Shoulder Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise; Other: Control group

Detailed Description

Six teams, consisting of 13 to 25 players each, were randomized into two groups throughout their competition seasons. Three teams participated in a seven--month, three--times--a--week shoulder--muscle strength--training program while three teams participated in a comparable handball training program but did not conduct any specific upper--body strength training. Effects of this strength--training program were evaluated by comparing pre-- and post--training data from a survey on shoulder complaints based on a self--report questionnaire (quick DASH) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The players completed the VAS on pain once a month. In addition to that the players were tested in a maximum push up test, dynamometer test for internal and external rotation strength in the shoulder and throwing distance in the pre- and posttest.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 106
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 15 years to 17 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- team handball players in the top division in the J16 class in the Trøndelag region in Norway

Exclusion Criteria:

- previous shoulder operations og fractures in the shoulder region

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Training group; Six teams, consisting of 13 to 25 players each, were randomized into two groups throughout their competition season; the training Group (intervention Group) and the Control Group.The intervention group completed strength training exercises Three times a week the Whole competition season.	Other: Exercise; Three teams participated in a seven--month, three--times--a--week shoulder--muscle strength--training program while three teams participated in a comparable handball training program but did not conduct any specific upper--body strength training.
Other: Control group; The three teams in the Control Group trained as normal throughout the season and participated in a comparable handball training program, but did not conduct any specific upper--body strength training	Other: Control group; The three teams in the Control Group trained as normal throughout the season and participated in a comparable handball training program, but did not conduct any specific upper--body strength training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Shoulder pain (Visual Analogue Scale)	Effects of this strength--training program were evaluated by comparing pre-- and post--training data from a survey on shoulder complaints based on a self--report questionnaire (quick DASH) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The players completed the VAS form on shoulder pain in the beginning of the season, then once a month throughout the season, and then in the end of the season.	7 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Shoulder strength	External and internal rotation strength in the shoulder was measured with a handheld dynamometer in the beginning and in the end of the season.	7 months
Push ups	The Maximum number of push ups the players were able to perform was recorded in the beginning and in the end of the season.	7 months
Throwing distance	The Maximum throwing distance With a handball was recorded in the beginning and in the end of the season.	7 months
Shoulder function (Quick DASH)	The quick DASH questionaire was completed in the beginning and in the end of the season. In addition to the VAS and Quick DASH, the players were tested in a maximum push up test, dynamometer test for internal and external rotation strength in the shoulder and throwing distance in the pre- and posttest (see secondary outcome measures).	7 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
• Investigators: Study Director: Jan Harry Størksen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Osteras H, Sommervold M, Skjolberg A. Effects of a strength-training program for shoulder complaint prevention in female team handball athletes. A pilot study. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2015 Jul-Aug;55(7-8):761-7. Epub 2014 Dec 17.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): December 16, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 30, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 27, 2017
• Last Verified: January 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise movement techniques
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Arthralgia; Shoulder Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: SorTrondelagUC

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO