Comparison of Shoulder Screening Test Scores between Overhead and Non-Overhead Athletes

The ability to anticipate the injury is as important as its assessment and treatment; thus, it is recommended to include the analysis of performance in pre-season screening tests. Using the functional assessment prior to participating in the event could be reducing the incidence of injury and act as a preventive factor. One of the vulnerable regions of the body is shoulder and the method for assessing upper extremity and shoulder is using shoulder functional assessment test. The aim of the present study was to compare the scores of shoulder screening test between overhead and non-overhead athletes.
Participants were 100 girl athletes (with the age range 15-25 years) who volunteered to participate. The participants included overhead (volleyball) and non-overhead (futsal) athletes. Both groups of athletes were assessed using shoulder functional tests (Howe, 2015). Each item of the test was measured three times and the average was considered as an ultimate score. Also, participant's forward head and round shoulder was measured using the photogrametry. Independent T-test and k-squared test were used for data analyses. Significant level was set at 0.05.
T-test showed a significant difference between functional scores obtained from volleyball players and those of futsal players (p₌0.003). However, the results of k-squared test showed significant differences in pectoralis minor and levator scapula muscles length test. Also, the results showed that the futsal players had more dysfunction compared with volleyball players.
Upper quarter screening in pre-season trainings can be an appropriate guide for the trainer for diagnosis and correction of athletic movement disorders. In the current study, the results of screening test between futsal and volleyball groups indicates weakness in both of them, but the group that has more forward head and shoulder disorder (futsal) had weaker performance. It is therefore concluded that in shoulder function, the presence of abnormalities with high intensity is probably more important than the type of sport.