Proprioception and throwing accuracy in the dominant shoulder after cryotherapy

• Published in: Journal of athletic training Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 84 - 89
• Main Authors: Wassinger, Craig A, Myers, Joseph B, Gatti, Joseph M, Conley, Kevin M, Lephart, Scott M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Athletic Trainers Association 01.01.2007
• Subjects: Accuracy; Adult; Anatomy; Athletic Injuries - prevention & control; Athletic Injuries - rehabilitation; Biomechanical Phenomena; Case-Control Studies; College students; Cryotherapy; Cryotherapy - methods; Female; Humans; Injuries; Laboratories; Male; Nervous system; Original Research; Outcome Measures; Pretests Posttests; Probability; Proprioception - physiology; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Reference Values; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Shoulder; Shoulder Joint - injuries; Shoulder Joint - physiology; Sports - physiology; Sports injuries; Tissues; Velocity
• ISSN: 1062-6050; 1938-162X

Application of cryotherapy modalities is common after acute shoulder injury and as part of rehabilitation. During athletic events, athletes may return to play after this treatment. The effects of cryotherapy on dominant shoulder proprioception have been assessed, yet the effects on throwing performance are unknown. To determine the effects of a cryotherapy application on shoulder proprioception and throwing accuracy. Single-group, pretest-posttest control session design. University-based biomechanics laboratory. Healthy college-aged subjects (n = 22). Twenty-minute ice pack application to the dominant shoulder. Active joint position replication, path of joint motion replication, and the Functional Throwing Performance Index. Subjects demonstrated significant increases in deviation for path of joint motion replication when moving from 90 degrees of abduction with 90 degrees of external rotation to 20 degrees of flexion with neutral shoulder rotation after ice pack application. Also, subjects exhibited a decrease in Functional Throwing Performance Index after cryotherapy application. No differences were found in subjects for active joint position replication after cryotherapy application. Proprioception and throwing accuracy were decreased after ice pack application to the shoulder. It is important that clinicians understand the deficits that occur after cryotherapy, as this modality is commonly used following acute injury and during rehabilitation. This information should also be considered when attempting to return an athlete to play after treatment.