Elucidation of the causes of shoulder injuries in competitive swimmers

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19553
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Health and Welfare (2021-2023); Waseda University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Matsuura Yuiko 新潟医療福祉大学, 健康科学部, 講師 (70824598)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 水泳 / スポーツ外傷・障害予防 / 筋活動 / 筋シナジー / リハビリテーション / パフォーマンス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Shoulder pain is the most common injury that occurs in swimming; shoulder pain that occurs in swimmers is known as swimmer’s shoulder.A few studies that have examined swimmers with shoulder pain using electromyography (EMG) were conducted in the 1990s. Previous studies have focused on muscles around the shoulder joint; however, swimming requires movement of the trunk and upper and lower limbs to generate propulsion. Therefore, muscles surrounding the trunk may also affect the occurrence of shoulder pain. Evaluating the coordination of muscles in the trunk and upper limbs during swimming may help identify risk factors that cause shoulder pain in swimmers.
This study explores efficient swimming movements with less stress on the shoulder by measuring muscle coordination of the whole body during swimming.

Free Research Field

スポーツ科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肩関節障害が発生するメカニズムを筋協調性の観点から明らかにすることで、効率のよい泳ぎ方を導きだすことが可能となる。これらの結果は、水泳選手の肩関節障害予防トレーニングの立案や治療にも役立つ知見となる。