Effect of Shoulder and Hand Position on Sport-Specific Grip Force in Rock Climbers

Authors: Erika Nelson-Wong1,2,Johnathon Crawley2, Kevin Cowell3,Lena Parker2, Emily Higgins2,Stephanie Huang2,Claire Lorbiecki2,Shawn Wood2

1Department of Physical Therapy, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD, USA

2School of Physical Therapy, Regis University, Denver, CO USA

3The Climb Clinic, Broomfield, CO USA

Correspondence:

Erika Nelson-Wong, PT, DPT, PhD

18770 W. 60th Ave, Golden, CO 80403, USA

enelsonwong@augie.edu

303-862-1985

Erika Nelson-Wong, PT, DPT, PhD is currently a Professor of Physical Therapy at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. She was a Professor of Physical Therapy at Regis University during the time of this study. Her research interests focus on predictive factors for development of musculoskeletal disorders with an emphasis on biomechanics of movement.

Johnathon Crawley, PT, DPT, Lena Parker, PT, DPT, Emily Higgins, PT, DPT, Stephanie Huang, PT, DPT, Claire Lorbiecki, PT, DPT, and Shawn Wood, PT, DPT were student physical therapists in the School of Physical Therapy at Regis University during the time of this study and were awarded their DPT degrees in May 2022.

Kevin Cowell, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT is the owner of The Climb Clinic and has a specialty physical therapy practice focused on injury rehabilitation and performance improvement of rock climbers of all skill levels.

Effect of Shoulder and Hand Position on Sport-Specific Grip Force in Rock Climbers

Abstract

Purpose: Rock climbing has become popular as a recreational activity. Overuse injuries of fingers and hands are common due to uniquely high demands placed on these structures. Climbers adapt hand positions to match types of holds on rock climbing routes, with open-hand and half-crimp positions being most used. The primary purpose of this study was to explore differences in climbing-specific grip strength between 2 hand positions and 2 shoulder positions. Methods: Participants’ maximum isometric pull was tested on a 20mm edge climbing hold attached to a force transducer in each of 4 hand/shoulder position combinations bilaterally. 46 participants (20 female) across skill levels were included for analysis. Peak force was extracted and normalized to participants’ body weight. Mixed model ANOVAs were used to explore effects and interactions between shoulder position, hand position and skill level. Paired t-tests were used explore asymmetry between dominant and non-dominant hands. Results: Half-crimp position was stronger than open-hand position and shoulder position did not impact force production. Climbers of higher skill level had higher force production in both hand positions. Greater asymmetry was observed in climbers of higher skill in the half-crimp position only.

Conclusion: Findings support using a single shoulder position for testing finger strength versus multiple positions. Climbers of all levels should emphasize both open-hand and half-crimp training for performance and injury prevention. Applications in Sport: Shoulder position did not impact force in open-hand or half-crimp grip. Higher skill climbers produced greater force. Force was higher in half-crimp versus open-hand positions independent of skill. Climbers use open-hand and half-crimp positions and should train both for performance and injury prevention. Strength testing could include a single shoulder angle for efficiency.

Key Words: Rock Climbing, Performance, Injury Prevention, Training

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2023-10-20T11:44:52-05:00October 20th, 2023|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off on Effect of Shoulder and Hand Position on Sport-Specific Grip Force in Rock Climbers

Stressors Associated with Professional Australian Rules Football Athletes Across a Competitive Season

Authors: Billymo Rist1, Anthea C Clarke1, Tony Glynn2, Alan J. Pearce1
1 School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
2 Fit Mind Consulting, Spencer Street, West Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Corresponding Author:
Billymo Rist
School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Email: brist@latrobe.edu.au
Ph: +61 400392964

Billymo Rist is a PhD Candidate at La Trobe University in Melbourne Australia. His Research interests include biomarkers, stress, psychology of performance and neuroscience of sport and injury

Anthea Clarke, PhD, is a lecturer in sport and exercise science in the Department of Dietetics, Human Nutrition, and Sport at La Trobe University, Australia. Her research interests include applied sport science and application to team sports, and female athlete physiology.

Tony Glynn MPsych is a Performance and Clinical Psychologist with 20 years’ experience. Tony is currently performance psychologist for the Melbourne Vixens Netball Team, Victorian Sailing Team, and Tennis Australia and clinical psychologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.

Alan J Pearce PhD is an adjunct associate professor at La Trobe University, Melbourne Australia and Director of NeuroSports Labs, Melbourne. Alan has an interest in the neuroscience of exercise and sport and injury, with over 200 publications across neurophysiology, exercise physiology and psychology of exercise.

Stressors Associated with Professional Australian Rules Football Athletes Across a Competitive Season

Abstract

Objective: This study explored psychophysiological stress in professional Australian Rules football athletes across the course of one competitive season.

Methods: A sample of eight players listed with one professional Australian football club participated in this study. Each week during the competitive season (22 weeks), players self-reported their general fatigue and sleep using a paper-based scale, as well as providing a salivary cortisol measure. Testing occurred 48-hours after competition. Participants’ weekly performance rating scores based on a points system metric of players’ data obtained during competitive matches were also recorded by the club each week.

Results: A significant inverse relationship was observed between cortisol and performance ratings, sleep and fatigue, and sleep and performance ratings. There was a significant predictive relationship observed, with cortisol levels and performance rankings (R2 = .35, F (6,74) = 7.06, p<.001). There was no significant relationship between performance and fatigue or performance and sleep.

Conclusions: This study shows a significant relationship between performance outcomes and psychophysiological stress in professional Australian football players. Professional clubs should look towards objective assessment protocols to measure athlete psychological stress to enhance current practice of self-report stress measures.

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2022-04-07T09:52:49-05:00April 15th, 2022|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off on Stressors Associated with Professional Australian Rules Football Athletes Across a Competitive Season

Gender Differences in Shoulder Strength, Range of Motion, and Functional Movement across a Division III Collegiate Swim Season

Authors: Andrew M Busch EdDa, Tyler L Mansfielda, Morgan L Barnarda, Elizabeth L Mayioa

aDepartment of Health and Human Kinetics, Ohio Wesleyan University

Corresponding Author:
Andrew M Busch
107C Edwards Gymnasium
61 S. Sandusky St.
Delaware OH 43220
Phone: (740) 368-3864
ambusch@owu.edu

Conflict of Interest and Source of Funding: There are no conflicts of interest to report and no funding was received for this study.

Andrew Busch is an assistant professor at Ohio Wesleyan University and is an alumni of the United States Sports Academy.

Gender Differences in Shoulder Strength, Range of Motion, and Functional Movement across a Division III Collegiate Swim Season.

ABSTRACT

Background: Musculoskeletal variables used to identify at-risk swimmers for shoulder injuries are inconsistent, possibly resulting from fluctuations in training volume across a competitive season or gender differences in training adaptations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in shoulder strength, range of motion, and functional movement across a competitive collegiate swim season.

Methods: Twenty-nine healthy swimmers underwent preseason and postseason testing for glenohumeral internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) range of motion (ROM); maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) strength for IR and ER; and Functional Movement Screen(FMSTM) shoulder mobility scores. Glenohumeral ROM was performed using a digital inclinometer; strength tests were performed using a handheld dynamometer and normalized for body weight.

Results:  Glenohumeral ROM significantly decreased in both arms of both genders postseason. Gender differences showed males exhibited less IR in dominant (p = .002) and nondominant (p = .001) arms preseason, and only nondominant arm (p = .004) postseason. Relative MVIC strength did not change in males postseason, whereas females showed significant improvement in IR strength for both dominant (p = .008) and nondominant (p = .005) arms, and ER strength for the nondominant arm (p = .001). Gender differences revealed males had greater relative strength for IR and ER preseason, with no differences noted between genders postseason. No differences were observed in FMSTM shoulder mobility scores between genders or across the season.

Conclusion: Decreases in glenohumeral ROM were observed in both arms of both genders in the postseason. Females noted significant increases in relative MVIC strength while males showed no differences in relative strength measures. There were no differences noted in FMSTM shoulder mobility scores based on gender.

Applications in Sport: Male and female swimmers may respond differently to the demands of a collegiate swim season when comparing shoulder strength values. Postseason glenohumeral ROM measures all resulted in marked decreases in both arms for both genders.

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2020-06-01T09:24:45-05:00July 17th, 2020|Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off on Gender Differences in Shoulder Strength, Range of Motion, and Functional Movement across a Division III Collegiate Swim Season

Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

Authors: Jackie Feliciano BA1, Michael P McNally PhD2,3, Andrew M Busch EdD1

1Department of Health and Human Kinetics, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH
2School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
3Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Corresponding Author:
Andrew M. Busch, EdD
Ohio Wesleyan University
107C Edwards Gymnasium
61 S. Sandusky St
Delaware OH, 43220
ambusch@owu.edu
614-783-6917

Andrew Busch is an assistant professor at Ohio Wesleyan University and is also an alumni of the United States Sports Academy.

Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

ABSTRACT

Background: In the sport of field hockey, athletes encounter repetitive unilateral movements due to the nature of the sport, possibly leading to detectable changes in performance variables or functional movements.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to first investigate pre-season power output, functional movement, and single leg balance differences in participants with a history of prior lower extremity injuries, and second, to examine potential changes in such measures throughout a competitive field hockey season.

Methods: Eighteen healthy collegiate female field hockey athletes (mean age = 19.3 ± 1.2 years) were assessed in different functional movement and performance measures including the Functional Movement Screen (FMSTM)deep squat, Y-balance anterior reach test (YBT), lumbar-locked thoracic rotation test (LLR), vertical jump, and a single-leg eyes-closed balance test pre- and post-competitive season.  

Results:  Fourteen participants completed the study.  Preseason testing revealed a significantly lower peak concentric rate of force development (RFD) in those reporting previous injuries of the lower extremities compared to those with no prior injuries (p = 0.017, d = 1.37).  No differences were noted post-season in previously injured participants.  Post-season testing revealed a significant decrease in LLR (Left:  p = 0.004, d = 0.35; Right: p = 0.007, d = 0.33), a decrease in multiple single-leg balance measures (center of pressure excursion: Left: p < .0005, d = -0.7; Right: p < .0005, d = -1.1; medial/lateral velocity: Left: p < .001, d = -0.24; Right: p < .0005, d = -0.74; anterior/posterior velocity: Left: p < .0005, d = -1.06; Right: p < .0005, d = -1.18) and a decrease in peak concentric rate of force development (RFD) (p = 0.03, d = .33).  There were no significant changes noted in post-season FMSTM deep squat scores, or YBT results among the participants.

Conclusion: Female field hockey athletes with a history of lower extremity injuries demonstrate significantly less concentric RFD during a vertical jump when compared to athletes with no prior injuries.  Thoracic ROM, single-leg balance performance, and concentric RFD all significantly decreased after a competitive Division III collegiate season.  FMSTM deep squat and YBT anterior reach scores did not change throughout the season. 

Applications in Sport: Field hockey athletes with a history of previous lower extremity injuries should continually focus on power development, while thoracic ROM exercises, single-leg balance training and lower body explosive exercises should be a point of focus for female field hockey athletes to maintain preseason values throughout a competitive season.

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2019-12-12T16:07:46-06:00January 3rd, 2020|Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off on Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

Perceptions of Dry Needling for Performance & Recovery in NCAA Division I Athletes

Authors: Shemeika McCray & Joni M. Boyd, PhD. CSCS*D

Corresponding Author:
Joni M. Boyd, PhD, CSCS*D
216L West Center
Rock Hill, SC 29732
boydj@winthrop.edu
803-323-4936

Shemeika McCray is an undergraduate student in the Exercise Science Program at Winthrop University.  Dr. Joni Boyd is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science and Coaching at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.

Perceptions of Dry Needling for Performance & Recovery in NCAA Division I Athletes

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of dry needling within NCAA Division I athletes for muscle performance and/or recovery.Seventy-seven NCAA Division I Athletes completed an 15-item online survey sent via e-mail, which included demographics, exposure to dry needling, and perceptions of effectiveness. Those that had no experience of dry needling were asked to rate their perceptions and reasoning for non-exposure. The results indicated that 66% (n=51) of participants did not have experience with dry needling, while 34% (n=26) did have experience with dry needling. Athletes that experienced dry needling reported that dry needling was effective and comfortable for efficient and speedy recovery. They also reported that they would recommend others to use this recovery treatment.  Those athletes with non-exposure to dry needling reported that they would rather use other treatments, concerned with pain or bruising from dry needling or was not sure it would work for recovery.  These results help to fill current gaps in research on dry needling.  Future research could compare treatment protocols for pain management and/or recovery effectiveness.

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2020-06-02T11:48:40-05:00October 21st, 2019|Research, Sports Medicine|Comments Off on Perceptions of Dry Needling for Performance & Recovery in NCAA Division I Athletes
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