Upper Limb Functional Testing in Athletes

Upper Limb Functional Testing in Athletes: Elaboration of Normative Data

The aim of this study is to elaborate sports-specific normative data for different upper limb functional tests.

About 250 sportspeople, aged between 14 and 35 years, and practicing an upper limb sport, will be recruited. They will performed some of the following tests, based on the sport they practice :

• Upper Quarter Y Balance Test
• Athletic Shoulder Test
• Single Arm Medicine Ball Throw
• Countermovement push-ups
• Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test
• Upper Limb Rotation Test
• Posterior Shoulder Endurance Test
• Seated Shot Put Test

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Functional Performance
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Performance of different upper limb functional tests

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 587

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Liège
    • Liege, Liège, Belgium, 4000
      • University of Liege

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 10 years to 31 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

The participants will have to practice an upper limb sport for, at least, 3 years and with a volume of at least 5-6 hours a week.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• To practice an upper limb sport, at least 5 or 6 hours a week

Exclusion Criteria:

• Shoulder pain, injury or surgery during the last 6 months

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Other

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Score Upper Quarter Y Balance Test	the maximal distance, in centimeters, will be measured	through study completion
Athletic Shoulder Test	maximal peak force, in Newton, will be measured, using a handheld dynamometer	through study completion
Single Arm Medicine Ball Throw	maximal distance, in meters, will be measured	through study completion
Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test	the maximal number of touches, in 15 seconds, will be measured	through study completion
Upper Limb Rotation Test	the maximal number of touches, in 15 seconds, will be measured	a single measurement
Posterior Shoulder Endurance Test	time until exhaustion (in seconds)	through study completion
Seated Single Arm Shot Put Test	maximal distance, in meters, will be measured	through study completion
Shoulder rotators isometric strength	maximal peak force will be measured in Newton, using a handheld dynamometer	through study completion

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Liege
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Camille Tooth, University of Liege

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): June 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 29, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 5, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 8, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 18, 2024
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: prevention; performance
• Other Study ID Numbers: UL functional testing

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No