2015 ISAKOS Biennial Congress ePoster #2113

Gird, Biceps Tenderness and Dyskinesis in Elite Tennis Players. Is it a Syndrome?

Emilio Lopez-Vidriero, MD, PhD, Seville, Andalusia SPAIN
Rosa Lopez-Vidriero, MD, Madrid, Madrid SPAIN
Rafael Arriaza-Loureda, MD, PhD, Perillo, Oleiros, La Coruña SPAIN
Emiliano Gallardo, PT, Seville, Andalucia SPAIN
Jose Fernandez, MD, Seville SPAIN

ISMEC. INTERNATIONAL SPORTS MEDICINE CLINIC. SEVILLA, SEVILLA , ANDALUCIA, SPAIN

FDA Status Not Applicable

Summary: Professional tennis players tend to overload and overuse their shoulders. So they suffer adaptative and pathologic changes. Their dominant shoulder suffers from more GIRD, decreased total ROM and biceps tenderness compared to their non dominant arm. They also have more dyskinesis. A good physiotherapy program assesing all these shoulder changes could prevent further disabling pathology.

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Abstract:

Introduction

Professional tennis players tend to overload and overuse their shoulders. As consequence they suffer adaptative and pathologic changes.
The aim of this study was to observe the presence of this changes than can be assesed clinically. Our hypothesis was that the dominant arm would suffer from more pathologic changes.

Material And Methods

103 elite tennis players were measured during 3 international tennis championships in 2013. All the measurement were performed by an experienced orthopaedic surgeon fellowship trained in sports medicine. 74 tennis players were males and 29 females. 17 were left handed. Mean age was 21,7+/-4,9. Mean height 178+/-8. Mean weight 72,2+/-9. Mean tennis hours played a week 19,4+/-4,9. Their ranking range was ATP 56-1600 and WTA 102-1100.
The main variable of the study was the glenohumeral Internal Rotation (IR) with the patient supine and the scapula blocked. Other variables were: total range of motion (ROM) measured in the same way, presence of dyskinesis by dynamic observation and biceps tenderness at palpation,
The statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS software package. For qualitative variables the Student t test was used for those paired variables which followed a gaussian behaviour. For those which did not, the Wilcoxon test was used.
In case of qualitative variables, the Mc Nemar test was applied. Statistical significance was set at 0.05.

Results

Dominant shoulder Non dominant shoulder

Internal rotation
55,87 +/- 14,89 70,53+/-16,17 p< 0,0005

total ROM
150,02 +/- 18,36 164,3 +/- 18,21 p< 0,0005

Presence of dyskinesis
91,3% 90,3% p=0,005



Presence of tenderness on LHB
34% 13,6% p<0,05



Prevalence of GIRD
83% 49,5% p<0.05
Prevalence of GIRD and Dyskinesis
75,7% 44,66% p<0.05
Prevalence of GIRD, Dyskinesis and Biceps tenderness
24,3% 3,88% p<0.05

Conclusions

The dominant arm of elite tennis players suffers from more GIRD, decreased total ROM and biceps tenderness compared to their non dominant arm. They also have more dyskinesis.
The non dominant arm of elite tennis players also suffers from GIRD and dyskinesis.
There is a high prevalence of GIRD, Dyskinesis and Biceps tenderness in the dominant shoulder of elite tennis players.
A good physiotherapy program assesing all these shoulder changes could prevent further disabling pathology.