Increased Tone and Stiffness of the Teres Major Muscle in Elite Handball Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether the elite handball (HB) athletes with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) present differences in the mechanical properties in the teres major muscle, and strength and extensibility of the posterior shoulder tissues of the throwing shoulder (TS) compared to the non-throwing (non-TS) and non-HB athletes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out, with sixty male participants: 30 HB athletes with GIRD and 30 age-matched healthy non-HB athletes. Mechanical properties of the teres major muscle were measured with MyotonPRO; also, extensibility of the posterior shoulder tissues and maximum isometric internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) strength were recorded. Results: The teres major muscle of the TS in the HB group achieved a higher tone (Δ 0.34; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.53) and stiffness (Δ 30.86; 95% CI: 23.04,38.68), and a lower relaxation time compared to the non-TS of the same group (Δ −0.69; 95% CI: −1.15, −0.24;) and to the TS of the control group for the tone (Δ 0.36; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.70) and for the stiffness (Δ 27.03; 95% CI: 15.24, 38.83). The extensibility of the TS of the HB group presented a statistically significant decrease compared to the control group (Δ−7.83; 95% CI: −12.42, 3.23). A between-groups ER/IR ratio imbalance was found for the TS (Δ−12.18; 95% CI: −25.59, −1.23) and the non-TS (Δ−13.01; 95% CI: −25.79, −0.25). Conclusions: HB athletes with GIRD present a higher tone and stiffness of the teres major muscle and lack of extensibility of the tissues of the posterior part of the shoulder compared to the non-TS and to healthy non-HB athletes.

Dry Needling in Overhead Athletes with Myofascial Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review

“…A summary of the included trials is shown in Table 2 . Four of the six included trials were RCTs [ 16 , 17 , 23 , 56 ]. One study reported two sessions of DNY [ 57 ], two studies three sessions of DNY [ 16 , 56 ], and lastly, three studies only one session [ 17 , 22 , 23 ].…”

“…Four of the six included trials were RCTs [ 16 , 17 , 23 , 56 ]. One study reported two sessions of DNY [ 57 ], two studies three sessions of DNY [ 16 , 56 ], and lastly, three studies only one session [ 17 , 22 , 23 ]. Four studies associated DNY with other treatments (manual therapy, strengthening exercises, diacutaneous fibrolysis (DF), stretching) [ 22 , 56 , 57 ].…”

“…The disability of the upper limb was assessed by the DASH scale [ 16 , 56 ]. The ROM through a digital inclinometer [ 17 , 23 , 57 ] and goniometer [ 22 , 57 ]. The isometric strength was evaluated by a hand-held dynamometer [ 17 ].…”

“…Clinically, MTrPs are caused by an acute or chronic muscle overload as a result of repetitive movements or prolonged muscle contraction [ 23 ]. Simon et al [ 18 ] suggested that the formation of the tense band is due to an alteration in the potential of the secondary terminal plaque, with an excessive release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction.…”

Dry Needling versus Diacutaneous Fibrolysis for the Treatment of the Mechanical Properties of the Teres Major Muscle: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…Barra-López et al suggested that this muscle promotes glenohumeral stability by resisting inferior displacement of the humeral head with the arm lifted [10]. The mechanical properties, like stiffness and tone, of this muscle have shown to be increased in TS compared to non-TS and non-handball athletes [11]. Therefore, the increase in the stiffness of the teres major muscle may reach the humeral head, favoring GIRD and reductions in tROM and HA.…”