We review the pertinent literature and survey 31 collegiate women's volleyball programme athletic trainers estimating the prevalence of shoulder pain among participants, particularly the ‘hitters’. We also survey experienced coaches for their estimate of the number of overhead arm swings performed by these athletes (during matches, practices and pre-game warm-ups) confirming these estimates by actual counts where available. A brief review of the results leads us to conclude that adoption of a ‘swing count’, analogous to the baseball ‘pitch count’, might ameliorate the substantial shoulder issues reported to us.
ThomasSJ, SwanikKA, SwanikC, HuxelKC. Glenohumeral rotation and scapular position adaptations after a single high school female sports season. J Athl Train2009; 44: 230–7.
AgelJ, Palmieri-SmithRM, DickR, WojtysEM, MarshallSW. Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate woman's volleyball injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association injury surveillance system, 1988–1989 through 2003–2004. J Athl Train2007; 42: 295–302.
5.
AagaardH, JorgensenU. Injuries in elite volleyball. Scand J Med Sci Sports1996; 6: 228–32.
6.
VerhagenEA, Van der BeekAJ, BouterLM, BahrRM, Van MechelenW. A one season prospective cohort study of volleyball injuries. Br J Sports Med2004; 38: 477–81.
7.
CoolsAM, WitvrouwEE, MahieuNN, DanneelsLA. Isokinetic scapular muscle performance in overhead athletes with and without impingement symptoms. J Athl Train2005; 40: 104–10.
8.
EggertS, HolzgraefeM. Compression neuropathy of the suprascapular nerve in high performance volleyball players. Sportverletz Sportschaden1993; 7: 136–42.
9.
FerrettiA, De CarliA, FontanaM. Injury of the suprascapular nerve at the spinoglenoid notch. The natural history of infraspinatus atrophy in volleyball players. Am J Sports Med1998; 26: 759–63.
10.
HolzgraefeM, KukowskiB, EggertS. Prevalence of latent and manifest suprascapular neuropathy in high-performance volleyball players. Br J Sports Med1994; 28: 177–9.
11.
LajtaiG, PfirrmannCW, AitzetmullerG,. The shoulders of professional beach volleyball players: high prevalence of infraspinatus muscle atrophy. Am J Sports Med2009; 37: 1375–83.
12.
FredericsonM, HoC, WaiteB,. Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in the shoulder and wrist joints of asymptomatic elite athletes. PM R2009; 1: 107–16.
13.
OcguderDA, TosunO, BektaserB,. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the shoulder in asymptomatic overhead athletes. Acta Orthop Belg2010; 76: 456–61.
14.
ReeserJC, VerhagenE, BrinerWW, AskelandTI, BahrR. Strategies for the prevention of volleyball related injuries. Br J Sports Med2006; 40: 594–600.
15.
KuglerA, Kruger-FrankeM, ReiningerS, TrouillierHH, RosemeyerB. Muscular imbalance and shoulder pain in volleyball attackers. Br J Sports Med1996; 30: 256–9.
16.
LymanS, FleisigGS, AndrewsJR, OsinskiED. Effect of pitch type, pitch count, and pitching mechanics on risk of elbow and shoulder pain in youth baseball pitchers. Am J Sports Med2002; 30: 463–8.
