Wheelchair basketball: influence of shoulder pain in sport skills

Abstract

Shoulder injuries are a common problem among wheelchair basketball players (WB). The purpose of this study was to detect the influence of shoulder pain (SP) in WB sport skills. Fifty-one WB players aged from 15 to 42 (21 females, 23, 86±1, 38 years and 30 males, 23, 90±1, 46 years) were evaluated. Shoulder Pain Index for Wheelchair Basketball (SPI-WB) was used to determine SP in relation to specific WB skills. Gender and age were compared using T-test and One Factor ANOVA, respectively. The level of significance was set at p≤0, 05. 27, 5% of the sample reported actual SP. Statistical analysis revealed a main effect for gender regarding SP during shooting skills, especially for females. There were no significant differences according to rebounding/one-handed long passes and other sport situations. In conclusion, SP could affect the specific activities of WB according to gender, especially during shooting in females, so ways to promote shoulder health must be develop.