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Background: Range of motion deficits in shoulder external rotation (ER), internal rotation (IR), total rotation range of motion (ER + IR), and horizontal adduction (HA) have been retrospectively associated with overhand athletes’ arm injuries. Hypothesis: The authors expected the incidence of upper extremity injury in high school softball and baseball players with side-to-side shoulder range of motion deficits to be greater than the incidence of upper extremity injury in players with normal shoulder range of motion. Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: High school softball and baseball players (N = 246) participated. Before the start of the season, passive shoulder ER, IR, and HA were assessed at 90° of abduction with the scapula stabilized. Relative risk (RR) was calculated to examine range of motion measure, by categorical criteria, and risk of upper extremity injury. Results: Twenty-seven shoulder and elbow injuries (9 softball, 18 baseball) were observed during the season. The dominant shoulder of all injured players and baseball players displayed a significant decrease in HA ( P = .05) and IR ( P = .04). The dominant shoulder total rotation of injured baseball players displayed a significant decrease (mean difference = 8.0° ± 0.1°; P = .05) as compared with the dominant shoulder of uninjured baseball players. Players who displayed a decrease of ≥25° of IR in the dominant shoulder were at 4 times greater risk of upper extremity injury compared with players with a .05). Conclusion: There are large mean deficits in shoulder IR and HA between injured and noninjured players, but not in ER or total rotation. Passive shoulder IR loss ≥25° as compared bilaterally was predictive of arm injury. Shoulder range of motion deficits differed between sports and appeared more predictive of injury for baseball players.
Shanley et al. (Fri,) studied this question.