Humeral torsion and passive shoulder range in elite volleyball players

To evaluate variations in humeral torsion in elite male volleyball players and determine whether these changes are related to training history, retrospective injury history and volleyball performance.

Cross sectional design.

Twenty-four elite male volleyball players.

Humeral torsion, passive gleno-humeral rotation ranges and the available internal and external rotation from the humeral torsion neutral position of the dominant and non-dominant arm were measured. Training history and retrospective injury status were ascertained from a questionnaire. Performance was assessed by coach perceived spiking ability and peak serve velocity measures.

Humeral torsion angles demonstrated the dominant arm to be on average 9.6 degrees more retroverted than the non-dominant arm (p=0.00). In the comparison of volleyball players with and without a history of overuse upper limb injury the most significant finding is on the non-dominant side, those with a history of injury had significantly decreased available external rotation from the humeral torsion neutral position (mean difference=-15.1, p=0.04). There was an unexpected negative weak relationship between age commenced and decreased humeral retroversion (r=-0.413, p=0.045). There did not appear to be any relationship between humeral torsion and performance measures.

The dominant arm of elite male volleyball athletes is more retroverted. There was a tendency for stronger findings in the non-dominant arm in volleyball players with retrospective injury history. We were unable to find any significant correlation between humeral torsion angle and performance measures.