PHYSIOLOGICAL AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2018 December;71(4):505-13

DOI: 10.23736/S0025-7826.18.03248-9

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Determining normative values for scapular muscle endurance in college-aged individuals

Seher OZYUREK ¹ ✉, Deniz BAYRAKTAR ², Arzu GENC ¹

¹ School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey; ² Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey

BACKGROUND: Scapular muscles are crucially important not only for the movements of upper extremity and cervical spine, but also for dynamic stabilization. Several tests were suggested for assessing the scapular muscles endurance, however, no normative values were provided previously. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to establish normative values for an isometric scapular muscle endurance test in college-aged healthy individuals.
METHODS: A total of 81 participants (40 female) participated in the study. Scapular muscle endurance was assessed by measuring the holding times of an isometric scapular muscle endurance test described by Edmonston et al. The collected data were summarized based on median and interquartile ranges.
RESULTS: Median age was 21.5 years (min-max: 19-25 years) for females and 22 years (min-max: 19-24 years) for males. The holding times of the isometric scapular muscle endurance test were greater in males (P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that aimed to provide normative data for an isometric scapular muscle endurance test. Future studies are needed to establish normative values of the same test in different age groups.

KEY WORDS: Scapula - Muscle strength - Young adult