TY - JOUR
T1 - Cervical range of motion, cervical and shoulder strength in senior versus age-grade Rugby Union International front-row forwards
AU - Davies, Mark
AU - Moore, Isabel S.
AU - Moran, Patrick
AU - Mathema, Prabhat
AU - Ranson, Craig A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2016/4/12
Y1 - 2016/4/12
N2 - Objectives: To provide normative values for cervical range of motion (CROM), isometric cervical and shoulder strength for; International Senior professional, and International Age-grade Rugby Union front-row forwards. Design: Cross-sectional population study. Setting: All international level front-row players within a Rugby Union Tier 1 Nation. Participants: Nineteen Senior and 21 Age-grade front-row forwards underwent CROM, cervical and shoulder strength testing. Main outcome measures: CROM was measured using the CROM device and the Gatherer System was used to measure multi-directional isometric cervical and shoulder strength. Results: The Age-grade players had significantly lower; cervical strength (26-57% deficits), cervical flexion to extension strength ratios (0.5 vs. 0.6), and shoulder strength (2-36% deficits) than the Senior players. However, there were no differences between front-row positions within each age group. Additionally, there were no differences between age groups or front-row positions in the CROM measurements. Conclusions: Senior Rugby Union front-row forwards have greater cervical and shoulder strength than Age-grade players, with the biggest differences being in cervical strength, highlighting the need for age specific normative values. Importantly, Age-grade players should be evaluated to ensure they have developed sufficient cervical strength prior to entering professional level Rugby Union.
AB - Objectives: To provide normative values for cervical range of motion (CROM), isometric cervical and shoulder strength for; International Senior professional, and International Age-grade Rugby Union front-row forwards. Design: Cross-sectional population study. Setting: All international level front-row players within a Rugby Union Tier 1 Nation. Participants: Nineteen Senior and 21 Age-grade front-row forwards underwent CROM, cervical and shoulder strength testing. Main outcome measures: CROM was measured using the CROM device and the Gatherer System was used to measure multi-directional isometric cervical and shoulder strength. Results: The Age-grade players had significantly lower; cervical strength (26-57% deficits), cervical flexion to extension strength ratios (0.5 vs. 0.6), and shoulder strength (2-36% deficits) than the Senior players. However, there were no differences between front-row positions within each age group. Additionally, there were no differences between age groups or front-row positions in the CROM measurements. Conclusions: Senior Rugby Union front-row forwards have greater cervical and shoulder strength than Age-grade players, with the biggest differences being in cervical strength, highlighting the need for age specific normative values. Importantly, Age-grade players should be evaluated to ensure they have developed sufficient cervical strength prior to entering professional level Rugby Union.
KW - Neck injury
KW - Normative strength
KW - Rugby
KW - Upper limb
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84962863536&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ptsp.2015.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ptsp.2015.10.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 27134215
AN - SCOPUS:84962863536
SN - 1466-853X
VL - 19
SP - 36
EP - 42
JO - Physical Therapy in Sport
JF - Physical Therapy in Sport
ER -