Acute effect of scapular mobilization with associated myofascial release on butterfly performance: Randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the acute effect of scapular mobilization with associated myofascial release compared to scapular mobilization without myofascial release on butterfly stroke sports performance. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. METHOD: Pilot study that non-probabilistically convenience sampling that selected butterfly swimmers who were simply randomized into three groups to receive the standard protocol (scapular mobilization with release of the subscapularis muscle by the lateral edge of the scapula and rib cage detachment) in intervention group (IG), sham group (SG) (scapular mobilization without subscapularis muscle release and without rib cage detachment) or no intervention in control group (CG). We evaluated the stroke frequency, length, and average speed of 30 swimmers using the 8.15 Kinovea® motion analysis system. RESULTS: The findings showed that, compared to the CG and IG, the SG showed a significant reduction in mean velocity (p = 0.002; p = 0.02, respectively), stroke frequency (p = 0.002; p = 0.003, respectively), and stroke length (p = 0.01; p = 0.05, respectively). DISCUSSION: The results showed that manual therapy through scapular mobilization without associated myofascial release with detachment of the scapula from the rib cage worsened the swimming efficiency indicators even after 30 min of application of the technique. The limitations of the studies are related to the sample size, the risk of non-probabilistic contraction bias and the lack of blinding of the evaluators. Thus, the results of this study should be evaluated with caution.

Epidemiology of injuries in young volleyball athletes: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Volleyball is among the five most popular sports in the world. Regardless of level and age, volleyball athletes perform fast high-impact movements such as jumps, landings, and changes in direction, demanding motor and sensory skills to avoid injuries. The available scientific literature provides information regarding the incidence of injuries in volleyball, but the evidence of injuries in young volleyball athletes (12-18 years old) is not well defined. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to investigate the incidence and prevalence of injuries in young volleyball players. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA recommendations and prospectively registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022344623). An electronic search was conducted in the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, and SportDiscuss via EBSCO in August 2022 and March 2023. Inclusion criteria followed the PICOS acronym: (P) youth volleyball players; (I) volleyball; (C) none; (O) incidence and/or prevalence of injury; and (S) cohort studies. The risk of bias was analysed using the adapted STROBE instrument. RESULTS: Five studies were included in the qualitative analysis. They had a mean methodological quality of 6 (range 4-8) on the modified STROBE scale. Injury incidence was presented in varying ways, ranging from 1.51 injuries/1000 player hours to 12.4 injuries/10,000 athlete exposures (AEs). The prevalence was 1.6 ± 1.7 per 100 AEs. A total sample of 3698 youth volleyball athletes predominantly females was found. The body sites with the highest rate of injuries were the ankle, the distal portion of the upper limbs (wrist/hand/fingers) and the knee, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was remarkable variability in the rate of injuries and the form of presentation between the studies. In addition, junior volleyball athletes had lower injury rates compared to other sports practised in high school, and older athletes had higher injury rates.

VASTUS LATERALIS OBLIQUE ACTIVITY DURING GAIT OF SUBJECTS WITH PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN / ATIVIDADE DO VASTO LATERAL OBLÍQUO NA MARCHA DE SUJEITOS COM DOR FEMOROPATELAR / ACTIVIDAD DEL VASTO LATERAL OBLICUO EN LA MARCHA DE SUJETOS CON DOLOR FEMOROPATELAR

ABSTRACT Introduction: So far, little is known about the behavior of electromyographic activity of vastus lateralis oblique muscle during treadmill gait in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the electromyographic activity of the patellar stabilizers muscles and the angle of the knee joint flexion in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome. Method: Fifteen subjects without (21 ± 3 years) and 12 with patellofemoral pain syndrome (20 ± 2 years) were evaluated. The electromyographic activity and flexion angle of the knee joint were obtained during gait on the treadmill with a 5 degree inclination. Results: The knee flexion angle was significantly lower in the subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome when compared with the healthy controls. The electromyographic activity of vastus lateralis longus was significantly greater during gait on the treadmill with inclination in subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The results also showed that the electromyographic activity of vastus lateralis oblique and vastus medialis oblique were similar in both groups, regardless of the condition (with/without inclination). Conclusion: We have shown that knee kinematics during gait differs among patients with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome and healthy controls and that a different motor strategy persists even when the pain is no longer present. In addition, the findings suggested that the vastus lateralis oblique has a minor role in patellar stability during gait.

RESUMO Introdução: Até o presente, pouco é conhecido sobre o comportamento da atividade eletromiográfica do músculo vasto lateral oblíquo durante a marcha em esteira em sujeitos com e sem síndrome da dor femoropatelar. Objetivo: A finalidade deste estudo foi investigar a atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos estabilizadores patelares e o ângulo de flexão do joelho em sujeitos com e sem síndrome da dor femoropatelar. Método: Quinze sujeitos sem (21 ± 3 anos) e 12 com síndrome da dor femoropatelar (20 ± 2 anos) foram avaliados. A atividade eletromiográfica e o ângulo de flexão da articulação do joelho foram obtidos durante a marcha em esteira com inclinação de 5 graus. Resultados: O ângulo de flexão do joelho foi significativamente menor nos sujeitos com síndrome da dor femoropatelar quando comparados aos controles saudáveis. A atividade eletromiográfica do vasto lateral longo foi significativamente maior durante a marcha na esteira com inclinação nos sujeitos com síndrome da dor femoropatelar. Os resultados também mostraram que a atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos vasto lateral oblíquo e vasto medial oblíquo foram similares em ambos os grupos, independentemente da condição (com e sem inclinação). Conclusão: Mostramos que a cinemática do joelho durante a marcha é diferente entre sujeitos com e sem síndrome da dor femoropatelar e que a estratégia motora diferente persiste mesmo quando a dor não está mais presente. Adicionalmente, os achados sugerem que o vasto lateral oblíquo tem papel secundário na estabilidade patelar durante a marcha.

RESUMEN Introducción: Hasta la fecha, se sabe poco sobre el comportamiento de la actividad electromiográfica del músculo vasto lateral oblicuo durante la marcha sobre una cinta rodante en sujetos con y sin síndrome del dolor femoropatelar. Objetivo: El propósito de este estudio fue investigar la actividad electromiográfica de los músculos estabilizadores de la rótula y el ángulo de flexión de la articulación de la rodilla en sujetos con y sin síndrome del dolor femoropatelar. Método: Se evaluaron 15 sujetos sin (21 ± 3 años) y 12 con dolor femoropatelar (20 ± 2 años). La actividad electromiográfica y el ángulo de flexión de la articulación de la rodilla se obtuvieron analizando la marcha en una cinta rodante con inclinación de 5 grados. Resultados: El ángulo de flexión de la articulación de la rodilla fue significativamente menor en los sujetos con síndrome femoropatelar en comparación con los controles sanos. La actividad electromiográfica del músculo vasto lateral largo fue significativamente mayor durante la marcha en cinta rodante con inclinación en sujetos con síndrome femoropatelar. Los resultados también mostraron que la actividad electromiográfica de los músculos vasto lateral oblicuo y vasto medial oblicuo fueron similares en ambos grupos, independientemente de la condición (plana e inclinada). Conclusión: Hemos demostrado que la cinemática de la rodilla durante la marcha difiere entre los sujetos con y sin síndrome femoropatelar y la estrategia motora diferente persiste también cuando el dolor ya no está presente. Además, los hallazgos sugieren que el músculo vasto lateral oblicuo tiene un papel menor en la estabilidad de la rótula durante la marcha.