Upper limb strength and performance deficits after glenohumeral joint stabilisation surgery in contact and collision athletes

Fanning, Edel, Daniels, Katherine AJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8134-6764, Cools, Ann, Mullett, Hannan, Delaney, Ruth, McFadden, Ciaran and Falvey, Eanna (2024) Upper limb strength and performance deficits after glenohumeral joint stabilisation surgery in contact and collision athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 56 (1). pp. 13-21. ISSN 0195-9131

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Abstract

Purpose: The primary aim was to identify and quantify differences in interlimb asymmetry magnitudes across a battery of upper extremity strength and performance tests at four and six months after glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation surgery shoulder stabilisation in contact and collision athletes compared to an un-injured group. A secondary aim was to investigate if identified asymmetry magnitudes changed from four months to six months post glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation. The third aim was to explore associations within the different performance and strength variables. Methods: Fifty-six male contact and collision sport athletes who had had undergone unilateral glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation were tested at 4 and 6 months post-surgery. An un-injured control group (n=39 for upper extremity performance tests, n= 47 for isokinetic dynamometry) were tested on a single occasion. Three upper extremity force platform-based performance tests and angle-specific concentric internal and external isokinetic shoulder rotational strength were assessed, and inter-limb asymmetries were compared between the two groups. Results: At four months post-surgery, the glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation group demonstrated significantly higher absolute interlimb asymmetry values than the un-injured group for almost all the performance test variables. In the ballistic upper-body performance tests, the glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation group achieved only half the body elevation reached by the un-injured (counter-movement push-up jump height (η2 = 0.50) and press-jump jump height (η2 = 0.39)). At 6 months post-surgery absolute inter-limb asymmetries reduced for the performance tests variables but some asymmetry persisted. The glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation group had significantly greater absolute inter-limb asymmetries for five out of the eight isokinetic variables. Conclusions: Contact and collision athletes who may be cleared to return to sport at four to six months after glenohumeral-joint-stabilisation surgery shoulder stabilisation continue to demonstrate upper limb strength and performance deficits when compared to their un-injured limb and to their un-injured counterparts.