Acute Effects of Static Stretching on the Shoulder Joint Position Sense of Overhead Athletes

Acute Effects of Static Stretching on the Shoulder Joint Position Sense of Overhead Athletes: a Randomized Crossover Trial

The purpose of the study is to investigate the acute effects of static stretching on the shoulder joint position sense of overhead athletes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Static Stretching

Detailed Description

A crossover randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 17 overhead athletes (9 males and 8 females). All of them will perform the 3 study conditions in random order: a control (5-minute rest), and static stretching of 30 or 90 seconds of muscles around the shoulder. The shoulder joint position sense will be assessed before and immediately after these conditions, and tested by active repositioning for the range of 110º of flexion, with a video camera. Absolute, relative and variable angular errors will be calculated.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 17
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Portugal
  • Porto, Portugal, 4200-253
    • Escola Superior Saúde Fernando Pessoa

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects aged between 18 and 30 years
• Competitive overhead athletes (basketball, handball, volleyball, swimming)
• Normal range of motion of flexion of the shoulder

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of injury of the shoulder joint in the previous 6 months
• Positive shoulder joint integrity tests (anterior drawer; fulcrum test; Jerk test; and sulcus sign)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control Condition; 5-minute rest.
Active Comparator: Static Stretching of 30 seconds Condition; Static stretching of 30 seconds of muscles around the shoulder of the dominant upper limb: Shoulder extension - shoulder extension with the hand resting on a door;; Doorway stretch - horizontal abduction with the shoulder in 90º of abduction, the elbow in 90º of flexion and the forearm leaning against a door;; Shoulder flexion - arms above the head against a wall;; Cross-body stretch - maximal horizontal adduction of the arm, with the opposite hand holding the stretch;; Overhead triceps - arm above the head and elbow flexed, with the other hand pulling the elbow;; Internal Rotation 90° stretch - with the shoulder at 90º of flexion and the elbow at 90º of flexion, the opposite hand and forearm forces the internal rotation.	Other: Static Stretching; Shoulder extension - shoulder extension with the hand resting on a door;; Doorway stretch - horizontal abduction with the shoulder in 90º of abduction, the elbow in 90º of flexion and the forearm leaning against a door;; Shoulder flexion - arms above the head against a wall;; Cross-body stretch - maximal horizontal adduction of the arm, with the opposite hand holding the stretch;; Overhead triceps - arm above the head and elbow flexed, with the other hand pulling the elbow;; Internal Rotation 90° stretch - with the shoulder at 90º of flexion and the elbow at 90º of flexion, the opposite hand and forearm forces the internal rotation.
Active Comparator: Static Stretching of 90 seconds Condition; Static stretching of 90 seconds of muscles around the shoulder of the dominant upper limb: Shoulder extension - shoulder extension with the hand resting on a door;; Doorway stretch - horizontal abduction with the shoulder in 90º of abduction, the elbow in 90º of flexion and the forearm leaning against a door;; Shoulder flexion - arms above the head against a wall;; Cross-body stretch - maximal horizontal adduction of the arm, with the opposite hand holding the stretch;; Overhead triceps - arm above the head and elbow flexed, with the other hand pulling the elbow;; Internal Rotation 90° stretch - with the shoulder at 90º of flexion and the elbow at 90º of flexion, the opposite hand and forearm forces the internal rotation.	Other: Static Stretching; Shoulder extension - shoulder extension with the hand resting on a door;; Doorway stretch - horizontal abduction with the shoulder in 90º of abduction, the elbow in 90º of flexion and the forearm leaning against a door;; Shoulder flexion - arms above the head against a wall;; Cross-body stretch - maximal horizontal adduction of the arm, with the opposite hand holding the stretch;; Overhead triceps - arm above the head and elbow flexed, with the other hand pulling the elbow;; Internal Rotation 90° stretch - with the shoulder at 90º of flexion and the elbow at 90º of flexion, the opposite hand and forearm forces the internal rotation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Absolute angular error	The absolute value of the difference between the target range and the achieved range	Change from Baseline (Before) to Immediately after interventions or control (After)
Relative angular error	The arithmetic difference between the target range and the range achieved	Change from Baseline (Before) to Immediately after interventions or control (After)
Variable angular error	The standard deviation of the 3 repositionings	Change from Baseline (Before) to Immediately after interventions or control (After)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Fernando Pessoa

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): February 15, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 17, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 17, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): January 26, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): February 21, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 16, 2024
• Last Verified: February 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Static Stretching; Shoulder; Proprioception; Joint Position Sense; Overhead Athletes
• Other Study ID Numbers: ESS/FSA-374/23-3

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No