Shoulder vibratory exercises improves shoulder external rotation muscle strength and shoulder function: Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Shoulder vibratory exercises stimulate muscle activity, but evidence for strength and functional gains is limited.
• The noninferiority of vibratory exercises compared to conventional elastic resistance exercises is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of vibratory exercises (FLEXI-BAR) versus elastic band exercises (TheraBand) on shoulder external rotation strength and functional performance in young adults.

Main Methods:

• 26 young adults were randomly assigned to either FLEXI-BAR or TheraBand training for 4 weeks, 3 times/week.
• Evaluated shoulder external rotator muscle strength and functional performance using the Underkofler softball distance throw test (USDTT) pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed significant increases in shoulder external rotator muscle strength (P<0.01).
• No significant differences in muscle strength were found between the FLEXI-BAR and TheraBand groups (P>0.65).
• FLEXI-BAR group demonstrated a significant improvement in USDTT distance (P=0.041), while the TheraBand group did not (P=0.284), though between-group differences were not significant (P=0.608).

Conclusions:

• Shoulder vibratory exercises can effectively improve shoulder muscle strength in young adults.
• Vibratory exercises represent a potential alternative to conventional elastic resistance exercises for enhancing shoulder strength and function.
• Findings offer therapists expanded equipment choices for designing rehabilitation programs.