Andersson SH, et al. – This trial resolved to determine if previously identified risk factors were linked to overuse shoulder injuries, in elite male and female handball players. Neither of the previously identified risk factors exhibited a correlation with overuse shoulder injuries in the study cohort.

Methods

• This research examined 329 players (168 male, 161 female), from the two upper divisions in Norway before the 2014-2015 season.
• Measures included glenohumeral internal and external rotation range of motion, isometric internal and external rotation strength, and assessment of scapular dyskinesis.
• The follow-up was for one competitive season, with prevalence and severity of shoulder problems registered monthly through the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire.
• A severity score based on players’ questionnaire responses served as the outcome measure in multivariable logistic regression.
• This determined the link between candidate risk factors and overuse shoulder injury.

Results

• There were no notable correlations between total rotation (OR 1.05 per 5° change, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.13), external rotation strength (OR 1.05 per 10 N change, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.20) or obvious scapular dyskinesis (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.25 to 5.99) and overuse shoulder injury.
• There was a prominent positive link between greater internal rotation (OR 1.16 per 5° change, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.34) and overuse shoulder injury.