The effectiveness of static passive stretching on glenohumeral rotation range of movement in elite swimmers after competition: A quasi-experimental clinical trial

ntroduction
Shoulder pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem among competitive swimmers, and its prevalence has been reported to be as high as 80% in these athletes. One of the most important muscles for efficient stroke in swimming is the posterior deltoid [1]. However, most of the reported stretching programmes to increase swimmers’ shoulder range of movement and pain are focused on the posterior capsule or the rotator cuff muscles, and few are focused on stretching the posterior deltoid [2].
We hypothesise that glenohumeral IR will increase and side-to-side differences will be decreased after the stretching period in comparison to the control group. Therefore, the purpose of the current clinical trial was to investigate the after competition effects of static passive stretching of posterior deltoid on glenohumeral internal rotation deficit in competitive swimmers.