{"id":11349,"date":"2024-10-11T06:00:12","date_gmt":"2024-10-11T05:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/?p=11349"},"modified":"2024-10-10T20:38:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T19:38:09","slug":"bridging-the-gap-what-experts-and-research-say-about-swimmers-shoulder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/2024\/10\/11\/bridging-the-gap-what-experts-and-research-say-about-swimmers-shoulder\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridging the Gap: What Experts and Research Say About Swimmer’s Shoulder"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog is based on a recent study<\/a>, published in BJSM (1).<\/p>\n

Why is this study important?<\/b><\/p>\n

Most swimmers will injure their shoulder at some point throughout their career. The term \u201cswimmer\u2019s shoulder\u201d, coined in the 1970\u2019s, remains relevant today due to ongoing challenges in preventing and effectively rehabilitating a sore or injured shoulder. Swimmer\u2019s shoulder usually results from high swimming volume \u2013 thousands of strokes per week, for years on-end. However, some factors may increase a swimmer\u2019s risk of developing shoulder pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although a lot of research has explored shoulder injury risk factors in swimmers, the complex nature of these injuries and the controlled conditions under which research is done, means findings may not be directly relevant to all swimmers. Therefore, as well as reviewing what research shows about swimmer\u2019s shoulder, we thought it was important to hear what expert practitioners, those who work directly with swimmers, have to say about managing shoulder injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did the study go about this?<\/b><\/p>\n

We used “concept mapping” to gather insights from 27 swimming experts, including: elite swimmers, coaches, support staff, and researchers. First, we asked the experts to brainstorm all the factors they thought might contribute to shoulder injuries in swimmers. Next, we asked the experts to rate how important and modifiable (changeable) each factor was.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our research team then compared these expert opinions to the findings of a systematic review we recently conducted on risk factors for shoulder injury in swimmers. This comparison allowed us to identify where expert opinions and scientific evidence aligned, as well as areas they differed (i.e., an evidence-practice gap).<\/span><\/p>\n

What did the study find?<\/b><\/p>\n

Our study revealed a substantial gap between what experts think and the available scientific evidence regarding swimmer’s shoulder. Here are some key findings:<\/span><\/p>\n