Isokinetic Performance of Shoulder External and Internal Rotators of Professional Volleyball Athletes by Different Positions

Sci Rep. 2020 May 26;10(1):8706. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-65630-9.

Abstract

This study aimed to exam the isokinetic shoulder rotator strength of professional volleyball athletes, by playing positions. This cross-sectional study included a total of 49 healthy male professional volleyball players. We measured the isokinetic strength of the external rotator (ER) and internal rotator (IR) muscles and compared the dominant and non-dominant shoulders at angular speeds of 60°/s and 180°/s. In ER, all positions of players had similar strength between the dominant shoulder and non-dominant shoulders. Conversely, all playing positions except libero had stronger strength in dominant shoulder than that in the non-dominant shoulder. The ER/IR ratio in the dominant shoulder was significantly lower only for the attacker (outside hitter and opposite) at 60°/s and 180°/s (P < 0.0001; P = 0.0028 respectively) and blocker at 60°/s (P = 0.0273) when compared with non-dominant shoulder. Furthermore, the attacker had a lower ER/IR ratio in the dominant shoulder than setter and libero at 60°/s and 180°/s. For elite volleyball players without injury, the dominant shoulder had a higher strength of internal rotation, causing the relative muscle imbalance than the non-dominant shoulder, especially for the attacker and blocker positions. Training program should be individualized for each playing position to improve the imbalanced shoulder.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Athletes*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle Strength
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology*
  • Shoulder / physiology*
  • Shoulder Joint / physiology
  • Volleyball
  • Young Adult