Reassessment of Painful Shoulders among Baseball Players after Conservative Treatment

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the rehabilitation results among baseball players who presented pain and medial rotation deficit in their shoulders. METHODS Out of 55 baseball players assessed between April and June 2009, it was observed that 20 presented pain at some instant during throwing movements. They were advised to undergo a rehabilitation program with exercises to stretch the posterior capsule and reinforce the muscles of the scapular belt, especially the lateral rotators. Eighteen patients followed the advice, while two were lost from the follow-up. The parameters evaluated were: pain, range of motion, strength before the program and strength after the end of the program. RESULTS Comparing the initial and final assessments, we observed mean increases as follows: 10° of elevation (p = 0.001); three vertebral levels of medial rotation (p < 0.001); 20° of medial rotation at 90° abduction (p < 0.001); and 26° of range of motion (p < 0.001). Regarding strength, elevation force increased by 3 kgf (p = 0.002) and lateral rotation force increased by 1 kgf (p = 0.020). Out of the 18 baseball players studied, the pain level improved in 16, while two continued to present pain and underwent magnetic resonance imaging, which showed lesions for surgical treatment. CONCLUSION The rehabilitation program conducted among the baseball players was effective and enabled increases in medial rotation, elevation, range of motion and strength of elevation and lateral rotation, consequently producing pain improvements in most of the players.