Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail

Background: Overuse injuries with shoulder pain are one of the most common complaints among cricket bowlers, leading to reduced performance, and ultimately affecting an athlete's career and overall well-being. Isometric muscle training (IMT) is gaining attention as an effective intervention for...

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Main Authors: Sheeraz Ali, Ubaid Ullah, Riafat Mehmood, Osama Faisal, Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center Lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan, Muhammad Khalil ur Rehman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Rand Publications 2025-03-01
Series:The Rehabilitation Journal
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Online Access:https://ojs.trjournal.org/index.php/trehabj/article/view/92
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author Sheeraz Ali
Ubaid Ullah
Riafat Mehmood
Osama Faisal
Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center Lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
Muhammad Khalil ur Rehman
author_facet Sheeraz Ali
Ubaid Ullah
Riafat Mehmood
Osama Faisal
Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center Lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
Muhammad Khalil ur Rehman
author_sort Sheeraz Ali
collection DOAJ
description Background: Overuse injuries with shoulder pain are one of the most common complaints among cricket bowlers, leading to reduced performance, and ultimately affecting an athlete's career and overall well-being. Isometric muscle training (IMT) is gaining attention as an effective intervention for musculoskeletal pain and functional performance. Objective: To determine the effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function, and performance in bowlers. Methods: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial was carried out from July 2023 to June 2024 on active male bowlers between the ages of 18 and 30, who suffered from pain and discomfort in the rotator cuff muscle. A total of n-36 bowlers were randomly allocated to Group A and received isometric exercises focused on shoulder flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. Group B underwent conventional physical therapy exercises, including open and closed kinetic chain shoulder exercises, active ROMs, and stretching. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire were used for pain and disability, respectively. The assessment was done at baseline, after 2nd week and 4th week. Results: The results showed that IME had a significant effect (p<0.5) on pain reduction, functional recovery, and sports-specific performance compared to CPT except for speed (p≥0.05). The result of IME became evident from the 2nd week for pain and overall function, while in sports-related function, IME appeared significant (p<0.05) by the 4th week. Conclusion: Isometric exercises are highly effective for managing shoulder pain and improving functional capacity in bowlers, particularly in reducing disability and enhancing sports-specific performance over time. Clinical Trial # NCT06426875
format Article
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issn 2521-344X
2521-3458
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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spelling doaj-art-cb683fa8afe44f0693f6da0c8d3f35562025-08-20T02:26:05ZengRand PublicationsThe Rehabilitation Journal2521-344X2521-34582025-03-010901091510.52567/trehabj.v9i01.92Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail Sheeraz Ali0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3127-9358Ubaid Ullah1https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2720-7823 Riafat Mehmood 2https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0199-3473 Osama Faisal 3https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4374-503XHelping Hand Rehabilitation Center Lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan 4https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9522-5175 Muhammad Khalil ur Rehman 5https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8790-5032 Mahram Shah Rehabilitation Centre: Rawalpindi, Pakistan Comprehensive physical Rehabilitation Complex. Helping Hand Institute for Rehabilitative Sciences (HHIRS), Mansehra Pakistan Faculty of Rehabilitation & Allied Health Sciences, Riphah International University Islamabad PakistanYasmin Rehabilitation Center, Hafar Al Batin, Saudi Arabia Rizwan Ullah Kulsoom International Hospital, Islmabad PakistanBackground: Overuse injuries with shoulder pain are one of the most common complaints among cricket bowlers, leading to reduced performance, and ultimately affecting an athlete's career and overall well-being. Isometric muscle training (IMT) is gaining attention as an effective intervention for musculoskeletal pain and functional performance. Objective: To determine the effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function, and performance in bowlers. Methods: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial was carried out from July 2023 to June 2024 on active male bowlers between the ages of 18 and 30, who suffered from pain and discomfort in the rotator cuff muscle. A total of n-36 bowlers were randomly allocated to Group A and received isometric exercises focused on shoulder flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. Group B underwent conventional physical therapy exercises, including open and closed kinetic chain shoulder exercises, active ROMs, and stretching. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire were used for pain and disability, respectively. The assessment was done at baseline, after 2nd week and 4th week. Results: The results showed that IME had a significant effect (p<0.5) on pain reduction, functional recovery, and sports-specific performance compared to CPT except for speed (p≥0.05). The result of IME became evident from the 2nd week for pain and overall function, while in sports-related function, IME appeared significant (p<0.05) by the 4th week. Conclusion: Isometric exercises are highly effective for managing shoulder pain and improving functional capacity in bowlers, particularly in reducing disability and enhancing sports-specific performance over time. Clinical Trial # NCT06426875 https://ojs.trjournal.org/index.php/trehabj/article/view/92cricket bowlersconventional physical therapydisability of arm shoulder and hand (dash)functional performanceisometric exerciserotator cuffscapular stabilizationshoulder painvisual analogue scale (vas)
spellingShingle Sheeraz Ali
Ubaid Ullah
Riafat Mehmood
Osama Faisal
Helping Hand Rehabilitation Center Lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
Muhammad Khalil ur Rehman
Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail
The Rehabilitation Journal
cricket bowlers
conventional physical therapy
disability of arm shoulder and hand (dash)
functional performance
isometric exercise
rotator cuff
scapular stabilization
shoulder pain
visual analogue scale (vas)
title Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail
title_full Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail
title_fullStr Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail
title_full_unstemmed Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail
title_short Effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain, function and performance in bowlers: A randomized clinical trail
title_sort effects of isometric muscle training on shoulder pain function and performance in bowlers a randomized clinical trail
topic cricket bowlers
conventional physical therapy
disability of arm shoulder and hand (dash)
functional performance
isometric exercise
rotator cuff
scapular stabilization
shoulder pain
visual analogue scale (vas)
url https://ojs.trjournal.org/index.php/trehabj/article/view/92
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