Alterations in Spiking Following Muscle Fatigue in Volleyball Players

Alterations in Spiking Kinematic, Muscle Activation, and Subacromial Structures Following Muscle Fatigue in Volleyball Players

This study aims (1)to investigate the effects of repetitive functional overhead movements targeting shoulder and scapular muscles on glenohumeral and scapular kinematics and muscle activation during the arm cocking and acceleration of spiking, and changes in subacromial structures in healthy recreational volleyball players; (2) to compare these fatigue-related changes between athletes with good and poor shoulder motor control.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Fatigue
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Upper Extremity Muscle Fatigue Protocol

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 35

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Chi-Chong Lio; Phone Number: 0965101633; Email: liochichonggg@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taipei, Taiwan, 112
    • National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
    • Contact: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University; Phone Number: (02)2826-7049; Email: tshuang@nycu.edu.tw

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy recreational volleyball players

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between 18 and 35 years old
• At least 2 consecutive years of volleyball experience
• Involved in volleyball practice or game for at least 4 hours per week
• Able to perform a cross-body spike with 3-step

Exclusion Criteria:

• A history of major shoulder or spinal injury or surgery
• Experiencing shoulder pain (VAS ≥ 3/10) in the last 6 months

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Poor shoulder motor control; During shoulder medial rotation up to 60° in supine position, the scapula forward tilts or elevation occurs, difficulties in breathing, performing difficulties, unable to perform 60° medial rotation, glenohumeral anterior translation, fatigue, the need of external feedback and external support.	Behavioral: Upper Extremity Muscle Fatigue Protocol; The subject performed upper extremity D2 diagonal exercise with Thera-band at kneeling position to simulate the arm movement of a volleyball spike. The movement is paced by a metronome at one beat per second, with one movement per beat. If participants could not keep up or become too fatigued, they are allowed to rest for 15 seconds before continuing. The subject was defined as fatigued, and the fatigue activity was stopped, only when all three of the following cumulative conditions were met: Until the number of repetitions in that set was less than 50% of the repetitions performed in the first set.; Using the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a 6-20 scale, until the subject's RPE was greater than or equal to 15.; If this maximum strength showed a decrease of 25% or more compared to the maximum strength measured before the fatigue activity.
Good shoulder motor control; During shoulder medial rotation up to 60° in supine position, no scapula and glenohumeral compensation, easy to breathing and perform 60° medial rotation without external feedback and external support.	Behavioral: Upper Extremity Muscle Fatigue Protocol; The subject performed upper extremity D2 diagonal exercise with Thera-band at kneeling position to simulate the arm movement of a volleyball spike. The movement is paced by a metronome at one beat per second, with one movement per beat. If participants could not keep up or become too fatigued, they are allowed to rest for 15 seconds before continuing. The subject was defined as fatigued, and the fatigue activity was stopped, only when all three of the following cumulative conditions were met: Until the number of repetitions in that set was less than 50% of the repetitions performed in the first set.; Using the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a 6-20 scale, until the subject's RPE was greater than or equal to 15.; If this maximum strength showed a decrease of 25% or more compared to the maximum strength measured before the fatigue activity.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Degree of the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joint during spiking	The kinematics is assessed using an electromagnetic motion tracking system (VIPERTM, Polhemus, USA) to measure the glenohumeral elevation, horizontal abduction/adduction, internal/external rotation, and scapulothoracic retraction/protraction, upward/downward rotation, anterior/posterior tilt during spiking movement. During the test, participants performed 3 times of cross-body spikes, with 15 seconds of rest between each trial. Data were collected at the end of the arm cocking (maximal shoulder horizontal abduction) and at ball-contact (maximal footswitch signal), and reported as mean values for each trial. (unit of measure: degree, °)	Baseline, immediately post-intervention (Day 1)
Activation amplitude of the glenohumeral and periscapular muscles	The muscle activation amplitude of the serratus anterior, upper trapezius, lower trapezius, middle deltoid, infraspinatus, and pectoralis major during spiking movement. During the test, participants performed 3 times of cross-body spikes, with 15 seconds of rest between each trial. Data were collected in the arm cocking phase (from minimal shoulder elevation to the shoulder maximal horizontal abduction) and the acceleration phase (from maximal shoulder horizontal abduction to the ball-contact), and reported as mean values for each trial. (unit of measure: percentage, %)	Baseline, immediately post-intervention (Day 1)
Mean power frequency of the glenohumeral and periscapular muscles	The mean power frequency of the serratus anterior, upper trapezius, lower trapezius, middle deltoid, infraspinatus, and pectoralis major during spiking movement. During the test, participants performed 3 times of cross-body spikes, with 15 seconds of rest between each trial. Data were collected in the arm cocking phase (from minimal shoulder elevation to the shoulder maximal horizontal abduction) and the acceleration phase (from maximal shoulder horizontal abduction to the ball-contact), and reported as mean values for each trial. (unit of measure: hertz, Hz)	Baseline, immediately post-intervention (Day 1)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acromio-humeral distance and thickness of supraspinatus tendon thickness during arm elevation	The subacromial structures is assessed using a diagnostic ultrasound system (SONIMAGE MX1 Ver. 1.10, Konica Minolta, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) to measure the acromio-humeral distance (AHD, from the lateral inferior edge of the acromion perpendicular to the humerus), supraspinatus tendon thickness (SST, from the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa perpendicular to the humerus), occupation ratio (OR, dividing SST by AHD). During the dynamic evaluation, participants performed 3 times of arm elevation to 90° and returning to the neutral position at scapular plane. During the static evaluation, participants performed 3 times of arm elevation to 60° at scapular plane. Data of dynamic evaluation is collected at 0° elevation and at the greater tuberosity of the humerus is aligned under the lateral inferior edge of the acromion. Data of static evaluation is collected at 0° elevation and 60° elevation. Data reported as mean values for each trial. (unit of measure: millimeter, mm)	Baseline, immediately post-intervention (Day 1)
Degree of shoulder elevation at greater tuberosity-acromion alignment during arm elevation	The shoulder elevation angle is measured using a application software (Measure, Apple Inc., USA) at at greater tuberosity of humerus under Lateral inferior edge of the acromion, which assess diagnostic ultrasound system (SONIMAGE MX1 Ver. 1.10, Konica Minolta, Inc., Tokyo, Japan), and reported as mean values for each trial. (unit of measure: degree, °).	Baseline, immediately post-intervention (Day 1)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 17, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 1, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 1, 2026
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Fatigue; Athlete; Volleyball
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: NYCU114118AF

Drug and device information, study documents

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