Shoulder pain assessment in elite wheelchair basketball players

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate shoulder pain in a sample of elite wheelchair basketball players during their preparation for a major competition.

Method: Seventeen male wheelchair basketball players, between 16 and 43 years of age, were studied during their athletic preparation for a wheelchair basketball championship. The shoulder pain questionnaire, impingement tests and shoulder range of motion were evaluated during a training camp. Spearman´s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationship between shoulder pain and range of motion indicating the value of the effect size.

Results: Shoulder pain was evident in 52.9% of the sample and was significant and negatively correlated with range of motion, while 35.3% related to impingement tests player’s reported pain. The correlation was moderate to high.

Conclusions: In conclusion, the use of shoulder pain questionnaire, goniometric measurements and clinical test could be a useful approach for monitoring the shoulder injuries of wheelchair basketball players to explore the possible consequences of performing repetitive movements.