The Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST) Performance in Elite Team Handball Players Playing with Shoulder Pain, Previous Pain, or No Pain.

BACKGROUND: Physical therapists use tests that could determine strength and weaknesses of the shoulder for overhead throwing athletes to enhance performance, prevent injury, and safely progress rehabilitation. The Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST) has been proposed to assess muscular capacity and dynamic shoulder stability in overhead athletes, which could provide information to determine a risk of injury.

PURPOSE: To investigate if the CKCUEST is an appropriate test to implement within team elite handball players to evaluate dynamic shoulder stability across sexes and in the screening of shoulder pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

METHODS: Elite team handball players were recruited and performed the CKCUEST from which three different scores (raw, touch, and power) were calculated and compared among handball players playing with shoulder pain, previous pain, and no pain.

RESULTS: A total of 106 handball players were included: 49 females (1.74±0.03 m, 70.4±6.7 kg, and 22±4.9 years) and 57 males (1.90±0.08 m, 91.6±11.4 kg, and 22±5.4 years), A significant difference was found between the female and male handball players when comparing all three CKCUEST scores (p<0.01). No significant differences were found in the CKCUEST scores among the three different groups (F≤1.23, p≥0.30, η2 ≤0.03). Among the female participants, no significant differences were found between performing the CKCUEST and the modified test. A significant correlation was found between height and the power score for men (r=0.661, p≤0.001) and women (r=0.434, p=0.01).

CONCLUSION: A comparison of scores across sexes appears unsuitable, due to the possible positive influence of height on the final score. But within the female group, performances of the CKCUEST and the modified CKCUEST were comparable. Additionally, the CKCUEST was not able to differentiate among elite handball players who are playing with shoulder pain, previous shoulder pain, and no pain.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.