ISOKINETIC COMPARISON OF THE ROTATOR CUFF BETWEEN WATERPOLO AND TENNIS PLAYERS/ COMPARAREA ISOKINETIC A COIFULUI ROTATORILOR NTRE JUC TORII DE POLLO I CEI DE TENIS

Isokinetic evaluation is an objective method that allows rapid and reliable comparison of the relationship between the muscle groups of the rotator cuff, during dynamic exercise. At shoulder level, balance between the rotator cuff muscle groups is essential for keeping joint stability. The purpose of this study is to detect significant differences in muscular performance strength values of the muscles of the rotator cuff by isokinetic tests, in two overhead sport specialities: water polo and tennis. Comparison could be realized analyzing various parameters derivate of the test. Material and methods. We undertook an isokinetic study in a group of 36 high-level athletes: 30 water polo players (12 women and 18 men) and 6 tennis players (2 women and 4 men). The parameters analyzed were: peak torque (PT), maximal repetition work (MRW), muscle asymmetry between dominant and no dominant shoulder, and ratio between external and internal rotators. Results. For all tested values of PT, the dominant limb has always been stronger than the no dominant in both sports, but differences in tennis players were much higher in favor of the dominant than water polo players with specific reference to IR. With regard to MRW, water polo players had values higher than tennis players in ER of both sides, but the IR of the dominant limb is greater in tennis players. Conclusions. In water polo players, due to the environment in which specific work is developed and the symmetrical content of simming, the ratios in both extremities were very symmetrical (related to PT); in tennis players, the dominant limb had more normal ratio values but this doesn’t happen in the no dominant possibly because it comes into play shortly.