Function, strength, and muscle activation of the shoulder complex in Crossfit practitioners with and without pain: a cross-sectional observational study

Elisa Raulino Silva, Nicola Maffulli, Filippo Migliorini, Gilmar Moraes Santos, Fábio Sprada de Menezes, Rodrigo Okubo, Elisa Raulino Silva, Nicola Maffulli, Filippo Migliorini, Gilmar Moraes Santos, Fábio Sprada de Menezes, Rodrigo Okubo

Abstract

Background: The shoulder joint is the most commonly injured joint in CrossFit practitioners, because of the high intensity and loads associated with this sport. Despite the large number of clinical cases, there is a shortage of studies that investigate influence of biomechanical aspects of upper limbs' injuries on CrossFit practitioners. This study hypothesized that there would be a difference in function, strength, and muscle activation between Crossfit practitioners with and without shoulder pain.

Methods: We divided 79 Crossfit practitioners into two groups according to whether they reported pain (n = 29) or no pain (n = 50) in the shoulder during Crossfit training. Muscle function, strength, and activation were assessed using the Disability Arm, Shoulder and Hand function questionnaire, Upper Quarter Y Balance Test and Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test shoulder tests, isometric muscle strength assessment by manual dynamometry and muscle activation by surface electromyography and pain report.

Results: The function based on questionnaire was associated with pain (p = 0.004). We observed a statistically significant difference between the two groups only in the surface electromyography activity of the lower trapezius, and in the variables of shoulder pain and function (p = 0.038).

Conclusion: Crossfit practitioners with shoulder pain occurring during training showed good function and stability of the shoulder joint, but there was a reduction in the activation of stabilizing muscles, especially the lower trapezius. Trial registration Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clinico (Brasilian National Registry) with the ID: RBR-2gycyv.

Keywords: Crossfit; Mobility; Muscle activation; Pain; Shoulder; Shoulder function.

Conflict of interest statement

Professor Nicola Maffulli is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Orthopedic Surgery and Research.

© 2022. The Author(s).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of the recruitment process. Patient demographic. The PG and NPG groups did not show significant statistical differences in age, height, weight, time of practice and weekly training (p > 0.05) The characteristics of the two groups are shown in Table 1

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