Scapular Stabilization During Manual Horizontal Adduction Stretches and Its Effect on Increasing Posterior Shoulder Flexibility

Nova Southeastern University (NSU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Posterior Shoulder Tightness

Treatments: Other: horizontal adduction stretch with scapular stabilization; Other: Horizontal adduction stretch without scapular stabilization

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT02085200

04111311

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine if stabilizing the scapula (shoulder blade) during a common shoulder stretch is more effective at improving shoulder range of motion than not stabilizing the scapula. Investigators hypothesize that scapular stabilization during horizontal adduction stretching will demonstrate greater gains in shoulder range of motion than stretching without scapular stabilization.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 15 to 21 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• athletes with at least two years of volleyball experience
• athletes with no current shoulder pain
• athletes between the ages of 15 and 21
• athletes with a 10 degree or greater difference in internal rotation between shoulders

Exclusion criteria

• athletes currently experiencing shoulder pain
• athletes having less than two years of volleyball experience
• athletes not meting inclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

Horizontal adduction stretch without scapular stabilization

Other group

Description:

Scapular stabilization is not provided during a manual horizontal adduction stretch of the shoulder. Each stretch is held for 25 seconds and repeated for a total of 3 times.

Treatment:

Other: Horizontal adduction stretch without scapular stabilization

Horizontal adduction with scapular stabilization

Other group

Description:

Scapular stabilization is provided during a manual horizontal adduction stretch of the shoulder. Each stretch is held for 25 seconds and repeated for a total of 3 times.

Treatment:

Other: horizontal adduction stretch with scapular stabilization