SHOULDER KINESTHESIA IN HEALTHY UNILATERAL ATHLETES PARTICIPATING IN UPPER EXTREMITY SPORTS

Shoulder kinesthesia has not been extensively studied in upper extremi ty athletes. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in threshold to detection oi passive motion between domina nt and nondominant shoulders oi healthy overhead athletes in two posit ions, 0 degrees and 15 degrees of external rotation. In addition, the study attempted to determine ii there was a relationship between the r ange oi external rotation (ER) and internal rotation (IR) and the thre shold to detection of passive motion values. Shoulder kinesthesia was assessed in the dominant and nondominant shoulders of 20 collegiate at hletes participating in unilateral upper extremity sports. A proprioce ptive testing device passively moved the shoulder into internal and ex ternal relation. The dominant shoulder had a significantly greater dif ficulty detecting motion compared with the nondominant arm at both 0 d egrees and 15 degrees oi external rotation. Both shoulders exhibited e nhanced kinesthesia (lower threshold to detection of passive motion sc ores) at 75 degrees of external rotation compared with 0 degrees where the glenohumeral joint capsule is relatively taut The results oi this study suggest that healthy upper extremity athletes may have kinesthe tic deficits in their throwing shoulder compared with their nondominan t shoulder.