The reliability of shoulder range of motion measures in competitive swimmers

Objectives: Investigate reliability of shoulder internal and external rotation (IR, ER), abduction in internal rotation (ABIR) and combined elevation (CE) range of motion tests in competitive swimmers. Design: Within participants, inter- and intra-examiner reliability. Setting: Physiotherapy Department, University of Melbourne, Australia. Participants: 17 competitive swimmers (aged 12-24 years) who participate in at least 5 weekly swimming sessions and two physiotherapy examiners. Main outcome measures: Inter- and intra-examiner reliability of IR, ER, ABIR and CE. Results: Good to excellent intra-examiner reliability across tests (ICCs: 0.85-0.96) with standard error of measurement (SEM)and minimal detectable change at 90% confidence interval (MDC90) ranging from 2 to 5, and 5-12 degrees, respectively. Good to excellent inter-examiner reliability for all tests (ICCs: 0.77-0.94) except left IR (ICC: 0.65). Inter-examiner SEM and MDC90 ranged from 2 to 5 degrees and 5-12 degrees, respectively. Conclusion: Shoulder range of motion tests were reliable when applied by the same examiner. Inter examiner reliability was acceptable for all tests except IR, which was affected by inconsistent manual scapula stabilisation between examiners. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.