[Objective] The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between shoulder's function and damage for handball players. Subjects were nine female handball players with dominant shoulder pain.[Methods] Clinical diagnosis was done from the medical doctor's opinion and MRI. Then, the shoulder joint movement was measured with X rays.[Results] Most of them had admitted a lot the impingement syndrome and the subacromial bursitis. The trunk rotation angle at zero-positions was significantly larger in the symptomatic shoulder (dominant shoulder) than in the asymptomatic shoulder (nondominant shoulder). That is, it was obvious that the damage of the shoulder changed tilting angle of scapula medially.[Conclusion] It is reported that the damage of the shoulder causes abnormality to the “scapulohumeral rhythm” by the previous research. But, these results, suggested to need to understand not only “scapulohumeral rhythm” but also movement to the position of the scapula, when the shoulder joint function was observed for the handball player mainly composed of throwing motion.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathologic changes of jumper's knee before and after jumping and effects of icing after jumping. Sixteen healthy college students and sixteen collegiate volleyball players with jumper's knee were divided into two groups by eight, without icing group and with icing group after jumping exercise. Without icing groups rested for 20 minutes, while with icing groups were treated with ice for 20 minutes after eighty times of jumping. Signal to noise ratio (SNR) and sectional area of patellar tendon with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the tenderness of patellar tendon with visual analog scale were measured before and after exercise, following with or without icing and 24 and 48 hours later from the treatment. In jumper's knee group, significant increase was found in the SNR, sectional area of patellar tendon, and tenderness of patellar tendon after exercise compared to before exercise. In addition, in jumper's knee with icing group, significant decrease was found in the SNR, sectional area of patellar tendon after icing and 24 and 48 hours after icing, and the tenderness of patellar tendon after icing compared to after exercise. These results suggested that icing was an effective treatment for jumper's knee after exercise.

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the effects of combining the resistance of an elastic band with slow abdominal breathing on shoulder periarticular muscle activity during shoulder adduction-abduction. Methods: Subjects were eight healthy adult males. Abduction of the shoulder was performed from 0° to 90° (with adduction being defined as the movement from 90°to 0°) for a period of 8 s. The three conditions under which abduction-adduction were performed comprised the following: without an elastic band; with an elastic band; and with an elastic band during slow abdominal breathing. The activities of the biceps brachii, deltoid (anterior, middle, and posterior fibers), trapezius (upper, middle, and lower fibers), and the pectoralis major muscles were measured. Results: Muscle activity of the shoulder periarticular muscles was increased when the elastic band was used. When this was combined with slow abdominal breathing, muscle activity significantly increased in the middle fibers of the deltoid muscle and in the trapezius muscle during abduction while exhaling. Muscle activity significantly decreased in the biceps brachii muscle and the anterior fibers of the deltoid muscle during adduction while inhaling. Discussion: During shoulder abduction, fixation of the trunk occurred initially before the onset of abduction. At this point, exhalation resulted in contraction of the transversus abdominis muscle, a muscle that stabilizes the trunk, thereby enhancing trunk stability and raising the efficiency of deltoid muscle contraction. Conclusion: The results suggested that shoulder abduction performed in combination with slow abdominal breathing increased the efficiency of deltoid and trapezius muscle activities.

In the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture, tea growing is carried out on hillsides. From the posture taken by farmers while they are picking tea-leaves, it is assumed that a heavy load is laid on the cervical region and that they must have complaints in that region frequently.
On this assumption, we have conducted a survey covering a total of 228 persons working in tea plantations, with 42 persons living in plains as a control group.
Of the total, 172 persons filled out a questionnaire and the remaining 56 underwent a physical checkup.
Of those surveyed, 92.8% said that they feel fatigued from work. Complaints in the cervical region were filed by 69.5% of the males and 89.0% of the females.
X-ray pictures revealed abnormal signs in 69.5% of the males and 89.0% of the females. Radiographic observation suggested that 77.0% of the abnormalities have some bearing on their complaints. It was also found that the stiffness in the shoulders accounted for most of the complaints.
From these findings, we have keenly felt it is necessary for us to continue to engourage them into practicing calisthenics designed to prevent the stiffness in the shoulders.