The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2021 Feb 22

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12174-7

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The adjunctive benefits of mirror cross education on kinetic chain exercise approach in volleyball athletes with scapular dyskinesis

Eleftherios PARASKEVOPOULOS ¹ ✉, Theocharis SIMEONIDIS ², Charilaos TSOLAKIS ^{2, 3}, Panagiotis KOULOUVARIS ⁴, Maria PAPANDREOU ¹

¹ Department of Physiotherapy, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece; ² Orthopaedic Center of Research and Education PN Soukakos, Attikon Hospital, Athens, Greece; ³ School of Physical Education and Sports Science, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; ⁴ Department of Orthopedics, Medical School, Athens University, Athens, Greece

BACKGROUND: Volleyball players as overhead athletes have the highest risk of developing Scapular Dyskinesis. The kinetic chain exercise-approach has gained a lot of attention because of its claims to provide an improved motor control and scapular kinematics. A form of cross exercise, known as mirror therapy, may enhance the effects of a Kinetic-Chain-Approach on scapular posture, upper and lower limb performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the adjunctive benefits of Mirror-Cross-Education in a Kinetic-Chain-Approach, in volleyball athletes with SD.
METHODS: 39 professional volleyball athletes were randomly assigned to three groups of 13 each, two experimental, the Mirror-Cross-Education and Kinetic-Chain-Approach, and one control. Both experimental groups performed a Kinetic-Chain-Approach programme, however, the Mirror-Cross-Education group performed the exercise programme with the addition of two mirrors that allowed athletes to observe their opposite non-dyskinetic scapula. Scapular posture asymmetries in cm, the Y-Balance and the Upper-Quarter YBalance after normalizing by limb length the reach distance in each direction, were assessed before and after performing each intervention for 6 weeks.
RESULTS: 3x2 two-way Mixed ANOVAs detected significant interactions on scapular posture (p=0.001) on both experimental groups when compared with the control. The Y-Balance and the Upper Quarter Y-Balance scores at both Mirror-Cross-Education and Kinetic-Chain-Approach groups showed significant differences when compared with the control (p<0.05). Overall, variables showed significant superiority of the Mirror-Cross-Education group.
CONCLUSIONS: The Mirror-Cross-Education demonstrated significant effects in scapular posture and in the functional balance tests of volleyball athletes with Scapular Dyskinesis.

KEY WORDS: Overhead; Professional athletes; Mirror-therapy; Balance