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- Title
Posture and Isokinetic Shoulder Strength in Female, Water Polo Players.
- Authors
Neophytou, Natalia; Aginsky, Kerith D.; Tracey, Caitlin
- Abstract
Background: Water polo players are overhead athletes, presenting with shoulder muscular imbalances between the internal rotators (IR) and external rotators (ER) which may lead to changes in posture and increase predisposition to injury. Objective: To assess posture and isokinetic shoulder strength of female, club level, water polo players. Methods: A descriptive study assessing posture and isokinetic strength of the IR and ER shoulder muscles in 15 female, club level, South African water polo players (age: 21.3 ? 1.5 years). Posture was assessed using a posture grid. Isokinetic shoulder rotator muscle strength was tested over 5 repetitions concentrically and eccentrically at 60?/sec using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer system 3. The bilateral, reciprocal and functional (DCR) ratios were calculated. Results: Typical posture included a forward head, rounded shoulder, thoracic kyphosis, an elevated non-dominant shoulder, mild scapula winging, lumbar lordosis and an anterior pelvic tilt. The mean concentric reciprocal ratios for the dominant (52.2 ? 7.1%) and non-dominant (51.9 ? 6.5%) sides indicated some ER muscle weakness. However, the mean concentric (IR: 8.8 ? 10.7% and ER: 10.4 ? 6.3%) and eccentric (IR: 6.1 ? 10.4% and ER: 4.8 ? 30.3%) bilateral ratios were within normal limits as were the eccentric reciprocal ratios (D: 69.6 ? 16.1% and ND: 67.3 ? 10.9%) and the DCR values (D: 0.75 ? 0.2 and ND: 0.75 ? 0.1). Conclusion: There is a trend for these female water polo players to have rounded shoulders and forward head postures as well as ER muscle strength weakness, this combination could predispose the athletes to shoulder injury.
- Subjects
WATER polo players; SHOULDER injuries; LORDOSIS
- Publication
South African Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015, Vol 27, p31
- ISSN
1015-5163
- Publication type
Article