Shoulder Pain and Scapular Endurance (SME)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of regular exercising on scapular muscle endurance and shoulder pain in young individuals. Methods: Participants' clinical and sociodemographic properties recorded, scapular muscle endurance assessed with Scapular Muscular Endurance (SME) test, and shoulder pain severity questioned using the Visual Analogue Scale.

Background: Serratus Anterior and Trapezius muscles are the most important stabilizers of the scapulothoracic joint. The inadequate endurance of these muscles plays an important role in the decreased neuromuscular performance. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of regular exercising on scapular muscle endurance and shoulder pain in young individuals. Methods: Participants' clinical and sociodemographic properties recorded, scapular muscle endurance assessed with Scapular Muscular Endurance (SME) test, and shoulder pain severity questioned using the Visual Analogue Scale.

In total, 200 individuals aged between 17-25 years, who had no neurological and orthopedic problems participated. Individuals who had surgical stabilization, previous shoulder complex fractures, positive impingement test results, and systemic diseases were excluded. Participants were categorized into the Regular Exercising (n = 100) and Sedentary (n = 100) Groups. The young adults who were using the fitness center by their preference (unprofessional), and who were regularly exercising, were included in the Regular Exercising Group. The volunteer young adults who were not exercising were included in the Sedentary Group. All participants gave written-informed consent before participation, and the study protocol conformed to the standards for human experiments set by the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by Ethics Committee for Human Investigations of Mustafa Kemal University Ethics Committee (4298783/05022/4).

The Scapular Muscles Endurance (SME) test was used to assess the endurance of the Serratus Anterior muscles.

The VAS for pain, measures pain severity in the affected shoulder from 0 to 10 points, with 0 points representing no pain at all and 10 points representing pain as bad as it can be

The Scapular Muscles Endurance (SME) test was used to assess the endurance of the Serratus Anterior muscles. For this test, the participant stood against the wall with their shoulders and elbows flexed to 900. There was no contact between the participant's arms and the wall. The subjects then held a green elastic exercise band (with a resistance of 2.3 kg, when stretched 100%), and an adjustable ruler was placed between their elbows to maintain the test position. While both scapulae were neutrally positioned, the participant was then asked to externally rotate the shoulders and to maintain this force for as long as they could hold and the holding duration was recorded in second. The test was ended when the participant was unable to maintain the resistance and dropped the adjustable ruler, failed to maintain 900 of shoulder flexion, or reported an unacceptable increase in discomfort (Edmondston et al. 2008).

measures pain severity in the affected shoulder from 0 to 10 points, with 0 points representing no pain at all and 10 points representing pain as bad as it can be

Inclusion Criteria: for exercise group; between 17-25 years ages who were using the fitness center by their preference (not professional) had active sporting life (not professional) who were regularly exercising for sedentary group; between 17-25 years ages who had sedentary life style Exclusion Criteria: for boths group; Individuals who had surgical stabilization, who had previous shoulder complex fractures who had positive impingement test results who had systemic diseases who had neurological and orthopedic problems