Abstract
Aim: To quantify the effect of overhead sports on static scapular position.
Method: Three cohorts of young adults were evaluated: Swimmers (n=35), Tennis players (n=32) and Controls (n=33). Scapular position was determined using the method described by DiVita. Details of overhead activities, hand dominance and history of shoulder injuries were obtained by questionnaire. All measurements were performed by a single observer.
Results: DiVita’s normalised ratios in dominant shoulders were 1.57±0.09 for swimmers, 1.61±0.11 for tennis players and 1.57±0.12 for controls. For non-dominant shoulders, the ratios were 1.58±0.1.5, 1.59±0.13 and 1.63±0.13 respectively. There were no significant differences between groups. Within male subjects, there were no differences in scapular size between athletes and controls on either dominant or non-dominant sides. However, scapular distance was significantly greater in swimmers in both shoulders (dominant p=0.009, non-dominant p=0.028) and in the dominant shoulder in tennis players (p=0.037) when compared with controls. Female athletes showed no differences in scapular size when compared with controls but female swimmers had greater scapular sizes on their non-dominant sides when compared with controls (p=0.016).
Conclusions: There were measurable anthropometric differences between athletes and controls that supported our hypothesis of greater scapular distances in both shoulders in swimmers and in the dominant shoulder in tennis players when compared with controls. However, these were not borne out using a normalised ratio. DiVita’s method of assessing static scapula position is readily applicable to clinical and sporting settings and proved reproducible with minimal equipment. It may be worthy of further investigation.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor A. J. Thurston. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the Department of Surgery, Wellington School of Medicine, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand
