Effects of Muscle Fatigue and a Taping Technique on Shoulder Motion of Athletes

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of muscle fatigue in the scapular kinematics of overhead athletes with and without using a kinesio taping technique for facilitating lower trapezius function. The hypothesis is that the taping technique could compensate for the negative effects caused by muscle fatigue in the scapular kinematics of healthy overhead athletes.

Muscle fatigue is a potential cause of shoulder injuries in overhead athletes. Considering the important role of lower trapezius for functional scapular stability, it is suggested that a kinesio taping technique for facilitating its function could compensate for the negative effects of muscle fatigue on scapular kinematics. This is a randomized crossover study and all included athletes will be evaluated in three sessions, with a period of seven days between them: Control (fatigue protocol, without taping), Kinesio Taping (fatigue protocol with elastic taping applied with tension) and Sham (fatigue protocol with taping applied without tension). During each session, tridimensional kinematics of scapula and humerus and electromyography of serratus anterior and trapezius (upper and lower portions) muscles of dominant shoulder will be evaluated, during scaption and throwing movements, immediately before and immediately after the fatigue protocol.The changes in scapular movements (before versus after the fatigue protocol) will be compared among the sessions.

• Shoulder Injury
• Muscle Fatigue

• Other: Elastic taping applied with tension
• Other: Elastic taping applied without tension
• Other: Fatigue protocol

• Control
  In this session, the athletes will be evaluated before and after the fatigue protocol, without any taping application.
  Intervention: Other: Fatigue protocol
• Experimental: Kinesio taping
  A kinesio taping technique for facilitating lower trapezius muscle function will be applied just before fatigue protocol and removed after in the end of the evaluation session.
  Interventions:

  • Other: Elastic taping applied with tension
  • Other: Fatigue protocol
• Sham Comparator: Sham
  A similar technique, using the same tape, will be applied but without any tension (tension is considered to be the therapeutic effect). The tape will be applied just before the fatigue protocol and removed in the end of the session.
  Interventions:

  • Other: Elastic taping applied without tension
  • Other: Fatigue protocol

Inclusion Criteria:

• Overhead athletes regularly training;
• No report of shoulder pain in the last 6 months.

Exclusion criteria:

• Previous shoulder or neck surgery;
• Previous shoulder dislocation.