Effect of a 6-week strengthening program on shoulder and scapular stabilizer strength and scapular kinematics in Division I collegiate swimmers

Shoulder injuries are common in swimmers because of the demands of the sport. Muscle imbalances frequently exist due to the biomechanics of the sport, which predispose swimmers to injury. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 6- week intervention program to improve shoulder and scapular stabilizer strength and scapular kinematics in collegiate swimmers. Shoulder and scapular stabilizer strength was measured with a handheld dynamometer and scapular kinematics were assessed using an electromagnetic tracking device. This study found that there were trends towards significance in shoulder flexion and abduction with greater improvement occurring in the intervention group. Scapular kinematic data revealed increased scapular internal rotation, protraction, and elevation in all subjects at post testing, but there was not a significant effect of group on the individual kinematic variables. There was no significant effect of group on subjective rating of the shoulder.