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Sports
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Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention
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Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 11965

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eleftherios Paraskevopoulos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiotherapy, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
Interests: shoulder; rotator cuff; manual therapy; pain; function; sports-rehabilitation
Dr. Maria Papandreou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiotherapy, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
Interests: sports physiotherapy, functional rehabilitation, therapeutic exercise, central nervous system
Dr. George M. Pamboris

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiotherapy, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: sports medicine; physiotherapy; biomechanics; motion analysis; gait analysis; human movement; 3D motion analysis; electromyography

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Upper limb disorders and especially shoulder problems are substantial burdens for all recreational or professional athletes, and especially overhead athletes. Apart from athletes, upper limb and especially shoulder pain remains one of the most common musculoskeletal symptom in the general population, with an estimated prevalence of 15% to 30% of the population at any one time. These findings highlight the need for proper assessment strategies and prevention programs that may prevent upper limb pathologies, especially in overhead athletes, as well as high-quality rehabilitation programs, bearing in mind that acute and chronic pain conditions may require different management strategies and up-to-date return-to-sport criteria.

This Special Issue focuses on delineating recent research findings in physical therapy as a conservative method available in assessing and managing several shoulder and upper limb problems and pathologies and return-to-sport criteria. With this Special Issue, we encourage the submission of cutting-edge research, including assessment procedures (i.e., battery tests and measurements), management strategies and procedures, and physical assessments for the identification of functional performance deficits, defined by return-to-sport criteria.

The latest research developments and findings in the above areas are welcome. Therefore, we invite you to contribute original research articles and reviews of the literature in this Special Issue of Sports.

Dr. Eleftherios Paraskevopoulos
Dr. Maria Papandreou
Dr. George M. Pamboris
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • shoulder
  • upper limb
  • sports rehabilitation
  • biomechanics
  • performance
  • tendinopathy
  • pain
  • muscle
  • strength

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 206 KiB  
Editorial
The Changing Landscape in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention
by Eleftherios Paraskevopoulos, George M. Pamboris and Maria Papandreou
Sports 2023, 11(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11040080 - 7 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2613
Abstract
This editorial aims to feature authors who intend to submit their research to this Special Issue of Sports entitled “Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention” in areas that need special consideration [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Other

11 pages, 1863 KiB  
Article
Assessing Biomechanical and Clinical Outcomes of an Elbow Orthosis Intervention in Youth Baseball: Preliminary Results
by Gonzalo Mariscal and Carlos Barrios
Sports 2024, 12(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12010024 - 9 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1815
Abstract
Proper orthosis design may help youth baseball players develop safer pitching mechanics to prevent elbow injuries. This study evaluated the impact of a custom elbow orthosis on pitching biomechanics and adverse events. Ten 11–12-year-old players (mean age 11.5 years) from a regional league [...] Read more.
Proper orthosis design may help youth baseball players develop safer pitching mechanics to prevent elbow injuries. This study evaluated the impact of a custom elbow orthosis on pitching biomechanics and adverse events. Ten 11–12-year-old players (mean age 11.5 years) from a regional league team were recruited. The inclusion criteria were at least two years of baseball experience. Six players were randomly assigned to the orthosis group, with four in the control group. Anthropometric data and baseline characteristics were recorded. A video analysis assessed elbow flexion angle during pitching at baseline and at 2 months. The frequency of orthosis wear was also tracked. Adverse events during twice-weekly practices were documented. Post-study surveys evaluated orthosis comfort, stability, and safety perceptions. In the orthosis group (n = 6), four participants showed improved elbow flexion angle, and two of the six participants showed almost no change. The overall median difference was 23.5°. In the control group (n = 4), three participants showed improvement, with a median improvement of 5.5°. Twelve adverse events, including pain, were reported by players not wearing orthoses, whereas no events occurred with orthosis use. Individual players in the control group or who did not wear the orthosis correctly experienced multiple episodes of pain from pitching over the study period. This preliminary study indicates a custom elbow orthosis can optimize pitching biomechanics and prevent adverse events in youth baseball players over the course of two months. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention)
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12 pages, 1426 KiB  
Article
Gender-Specific Patterns of Muscle Imbalance in Elite Badminton Players: A Comprehensive Exploration
by Qais Gasibat, Borhannudin Abdullah, Shamsulariffin Samsudin, Dan Iulian Alexe, Cristina Ioana Alexe and Dragoș Ioan Tohănean
Sports 2023, 11(9), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11090164 - 30 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3348
Abstract
The high-intensity demands of overhead sports exert significant stress on the bilateral shoulder complex, triggering adaptive kinematics and a distinct strength imbalance between internal and external rotators. The imbalance being referred to in the given statement poses a potential risk for humeral head [...] Read more.
The high-intensity demands of overhead sports exert significant stress on the bilateral shoulder complex, triggering adaptive kinematics and a distinct strength imbalance between internal and external rotators. The imbalance being referred to in the given statement poses a potential risk for humeral head displacement and puts nearby tendons under tension, heightening the vulnerability to injury. This study aims to assess muscle imbalances in badminton athletes. The first hypothesis (H1) suggests that there are differences in internal and external shoulder rotation movements between dominant and non-dominant segments in badminton players. The second hypothesis (H2) proposes that there are variations in muscle imbalances based on gender among elite badminton players. The objectives are to analyze these differences and explore potential gender-related variations in muscle imbalances. The study seeks to contribute to the understanding of muscle imbalances in badminton athletes and potentially guide training and injury prevention strategies in the sport. Using a cutting-edge Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD), a cohort of 30 elite badminton players underwent an assessment to uncover any bilateral shoulder rotation strength imbalances during a challenging five second isometric maximum contraction. The participants boasted an average age of 17.4 years and a mean playing experience of 7.23 years. The study revealed a notable difference in the ratio of external and internal strength between the dominant and non-dominant shoulders (p = 0.000). This discrepancy amounted to a striking 27.93% muscle imbalance in external rotation/internal rotation strength ratios, favoring the dominant shoulder. Moreover, gender-specific differences were detected, with male players exhibiting a 24.54% muscle imbalance in favor of the dominant shoulder, while female players showcased a more substantial 31.33% imbalance (p = 0.000). In light of these findings, it became evident that elite badminton players possess considerably stronger dominant shoulders compared with their non-dominant counterparts. Furthermore, the study revealed that male players experience less muscular imbalance than their female counterparts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention)
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Other

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11 pages, 755 KiB  
Study Protocol
Blood Flow Restriction Training in Nonspecific Shoulder Pain: Study Protocol of a Crossover Randomised Controlled Trial
by Kyriakos Pavlou, Christos Savva, Vasileios Korakakis, George M. Pamboris, Christos Karagiannis, George Ploutarchou and Antonis Constantinou
Sports 2023, 11(10), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11100197 - 9 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3023
Abstract
“Nonspecific shoulder pain” encompasses various non-traumatic musculoskeletal shoulder disorders, diverging from diagnostic terminologies that refer to precise tissue-oriented clinical diagnosis. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training, involving partial arterial inflow and complete venous outflow restriction, has exhibited acute hypoalgesic effects primarily in healthy populations [...] Read more.
“Nonspecific shoulder pain” encompasses various non-traumatic musculoskeletal shoulder disorders, diverging from diagnostic terminologies that refer to precise tissue-oriented clinical diagnosis. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training, involving partial arterial inflow and complete venous outflow restriction, has exhibited acute hypoalgesic effects primarily in healthy populations by increasing their pain thresholds. This study aims to examine whether a single BFR session with low-load exercises can alleviate pain perception among nonspecific shoulder pain patients. Conducted as a single-blind crossover randomised clinical trial, 48 adults (age range: 18 to 40) presenting with nonspecific shoulder pain will partake in two trial sessions. Random assignment will place participants into BFR or sham BFR groups and ask them to perform one exercise with BFR. Subsequently, participants will complete a shoulder girdle loading regimen comprising six exercises. The second session will involve participants switching treatment groups. Pain pressure thresholds (PPTs), shoulder pain and disability via the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of shoulder external rotators, pain during active abduction, and peak pain during shoulder external rotation will be evaluated using the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). Immediate post-exercise assessments will include patient-perceived pain changes using the global rating of change scale (GROC) and participant-rated perceived exertion (RPE), employing a modified Borg’s scale (Borg CR10) post-BFR or sham BFR exercise session. Each session will encompass three assessment periods, and a combination of mixed-effect models and descriptive statistics will underpin the analysis. This protocol was approved by Cyprus National Bioethics Committee (ΕΕΒΚ/2023/48), and was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration number: NCT05956288). Conclusion: The anticipated outcomes of this study illuminated the acute effects of BFR training on pain perception within the context of nonspecific shoulder pain, potentially advancing strategies for managing pain intensity using BFR techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Advances in Upper Limb Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention)
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