Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center

Main content of the page

Information about project titled 'No added benefit of 8 weeks of shoulder external rotation strength training for youth handball players over usual handball training alone  - a randomized controlled trial'

No added benefit of 8 weeks of shoulder external rotation strength training for youth handball players over usual handball training alone  - a randomized controlled trial

Details about the project - category Details about the project - value
Project status: Published
Project manager: Hilde Fredriksen
Supervisor(s): Grethe Myklebust
Coworker(s): Ann Cools

Description

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of a short (5–10 minutes) shoulder external rotation (ER) strength program, using elastic bands, in adolescent handball players.

Methods: The sample included 6 adolescent handball teams (3 female, 3 male) with a total of 92 players and a mean age of 16.6 years. Players were randomized within teams to an intervention group, which completed a shoulder ER strengthening program of 2 exercises performed 3 times per week after handball training for 8 weeks, or a control group of no treatment. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in shoulder ER strength change, measured as isometric strength using a handheld dynamometer from preintervention to postintervention (8 weeks). Secondary outcomes were between-group differences in internal rotation (IR) strength and the ER/IR strength ratio from preintervention to postintervention.

Results: The estimated between-group difference in dominant-shoulder ER strength was 0.06 N/kg (95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.01, 0.14) in favor of the intervention group. The estimated between-group differences in the ER/IR ratio and IR strength were 0.03 (95% CI: −0.02, 0.08) and 0.02 (95% CI: −0.08, 0.13), respectively.

Conclusion: The ER strength program improved neither the ER strength nor the ER/IR ratio.