Preseason Strength Assessment of the Rotator Muscles and Shoulder Injury in Handball Players

Context:  Few researchers have identified intrinsic risk factors for shoulder injury in team handball players by analyzing measurements of maximal isokinetic rotator muscle strength. Objective:  To identify possible intrinsic risk factors for shoulder injury by analyzing measurements of maximal isokinetic rotator muscle strength. Design:  Cross-sectional study. Setting:  Male team handball senior divisions (the highest level) in France and Belgium. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 108 male high-level handball players (age = 24 ± 4 years, height = 189 ± 6 cm, mass = 87 ± 11 kg) were enrolled. Main Outcome Measure(s):  All players completed a preseason questionnaire and performed a bilateral isokinetic assessment of the shoulder rotator muscles. On a monthly questionnaire, players reported any shoulder injury that they sustained during the season. Results:  On the preseason questionnaire, 51 of 108 (47%) participants reported a history of dominant-shoulder injury. A total of 106 participants comp...