COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN SCAPULAR STABILIZATION EXERCISES AND TRADITIONAL ROTATOR CUFF STRENGTHENING ON RANGE OF MOTION IN ATHLETES WITH SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME

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Background: Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is one of the most frequently reported
musculoskeletal complaints in players involved in overhead sports including swimming,rowing,and
water polo . A key feature of the condition is restricted glenohumeral and scapulothoracic mobility
and return to competition is a critical part of the rehabilitation process. Scapular stabilization exercises
and traditional rotator cuff strengthening exercises are two commonly used conservative interventions
and there are few direct comparative studies to determine which intervention leads to more gains in
shoulder ROM.
Objective: i) to evaluate the effectiveness of scapular stabilization exercises on the shoulder range of
motion of the in athletes with SIS; ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional rotator cuff
strengthening exercises on the range of motion in the same population; iii) to compare the exercises
regarding the effects on ROM in flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation.
Methods: Sixty competitive athletes clinically diagnosed with SIS were randomly allocated into two
equal groups. Group A (n=30) was given scapular stabilization exercises and Group B (n=30) was
given traditional rotator cuff strengthening exercises five times per week for 6 weeks. Shoulder ROM
was measured pre- and post-intervention with a universal goniometer.
Results:Both groups showed statistically significant within-group improvement in all four ROM
parameters (p<0.001). However between-group analysis, favoured Group A, which achieved
significantly greater gains in flexion (+16.8° vs +10.3°), abduction (+21.1° vs +10.5°), internal
rotation (+12.2° vs +7.0°) and external rotation (+8.8° vs +5.3°) (all p<0.001).
Conclusion: Scapular stabilization exercises resulted in significantly better objective improvement of
shoulder range of motion compared traditional rotator cuff strengthening exercises in athletes with
shoulder impingement syndrome in which achieving an improvement in shoulder joint mobility is the
primary objective of rehabilitation.