Focusing the Shoulder or Considering the Whole-Body in Volleyball Physiotherapy
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age17-30
SponsorUniversity of Trieste
About this trial
Shoulder pain can be common in overhead sports, and in particular, in volleyball. Different physiotherapy protocols can be adopted depending on the suspected pathophysiological mechanisms. Despite most of the protocols rely only on the shoulder district, some research suggests that treating the whole-body might produce better results as it could influence kinematic chains and correct muscle imbalances. The aim of this study will be to compare the effects of two physiotherapy protocols (shoulder focus or whole body) compared to only education without physiotherapy.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
practicing volleyball for at least 5 years with a training volume of minimum 5 h/wk
Disqualifiers
history of previous surgical intervention or fractures on the shoulder or spine
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Total body physiotherapy
Other interventionThis intervention consists in 5 weeks of 2 x week 60 min sessions of physiotherapy consisting in active exercise performed in upper limb, trunk, and lower limb muscles, in a whole-body approach.
Focus shoulder physiotherapy
Other interventionThis intervention consists in 5 weeks of 2 x week 60 min sessions of physiotherapy consisting in active exercise performed only in the shoulder district, focusing on the trunk-arm muscles.
Education
Other interventionSingle education session providing information about posture hygiene and proper warm-up
Treatment groups
40 Participants
are divided into 4 treatment groupsGroup A: Healthy controlsNo intervention 0 interventions
Group B: Total body physiotherapy groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group C: Focus shoulder groupActive comparator 1 intervention
Group D: No physiotherapy groupOther 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Isometric strength with handheld dynamometer (Newtons)
Isometric strength during shoulder flexion, extension, external and internal rotation, bilaterally
Time frame
At enrollment and at the end of treatment at 5 weeksSecondary outcomes
1
Lateral symmetry (%)
Lateral symmetry will be assessed as percentage between the two upper limbs for the investigated muscles (pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, upper trapezius, middle trepezius, lower trapezius, anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid) using the tensiomyography system
Time frame
At enrollement and at the end of treatment after 5 weeks2
Time of contraction (ms)
Time of contraction (ms), i.e. the time requiring the muscle to reach the peak of muscle displacement, will be assessed as percentage between the two upper limbs for the investigated muscles (pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, upper trapezius, middle trepezius, lower trapezius, anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid) using the tensiomyography system
Time frame
At enrollement and at the end of treatment after 5 weeks3
Muscle belly displacement (mm)
Muscle belly displacement (mm), i.e. the amplitude of muscle displacement, will be assessed as percentage between the two upper limbs for the investigated muscles (pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, upper trapezius, middle trepezius, lower trapezius, anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid) using the tensiomyography system
Time frame
At enrollement and at the end of treatment after 5 weeksSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov