Shoulder’s strength, range of motion and scapulohumeral rhythm in a cohort of male master tennis players

Tennis is known for its repetitive upper limb movements, which can potentially lead to injuries. While past research investigated shoulder biomechanics in young athletes and female players, there is a lack of study regarding male master tennis athletes. This study aimed to compare some of the biomechanical features in the dominant shoulder between master tennis players and age-matched non-tennis athletes. Isometric strength, range of motion, and scapulohumeral-rhythm, which describes the coordinated kinematic pattern between scapula and humerus during arm elevation, with and without 2kg dumbbells, were compared between 15 master tennis athletes and 15 non-tennis athletes. Tennis athletes exhibited a higher external rotation RoM in the dominant than in the non-dominant shoulder with no differences with non-tennis athletes. Extension, abduction, adduction and external rotation strength were greater in tennis athletes compared to controls, while there were no differences in the external to internal rotation ratio. Scapulohumeral-rhythm in the dominant shoulder was similar between the two groups, with a magnitude approaching the physiological value of 2:1. Therefore, from a biomechanical perspective, the results suggest that long-term participation in tennis does not significantly affect the balance in shoulder rotator strength and the scapulohumeral-rhythm, likely not representing a risk factor for shoulder injuries.