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Background The Unilateral Seated Shot-Put Test (USSPT) consists of pushing an overweight ball as far as possible to assess upper extremity power unilaterally and bilateral symmetry. Literature however reports various body positions and upper limb pushing patterns to perform USSPT, demanding to provide additional guideline to achieve overweight ball push. This study therefore aimed at assessing the reliability and agreement of USSPT outcome measures when pushing an overweight ball in a horizontal direction. Methods Twenty-seven healthy male athletes performed two sessions, one week apart, of three unilateral pushes per upper limb using a 3-kg medicine ball, for which the distances were measured. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), minimum detectable change at a 95 % confidence level (MDC95 %) and coefficient of variation (CV) were assessed for the pushing distances based on one, two or three trials per side to produce two outcome measures: the pushing distance per limb and USSPT Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) when dividing pushing distance of the dominant side by that of the non-dominant side. Results The most reliable pushing distance per limb was obtained when averaging three pushing distances, normalized by body mass with the exponent 0.35. The mean USSPT LSI was 1.09 ± 0.10 for the first session and 1.08 ± 0.10 for the second session, highlighting good reliability and agreement (ICC = 0.82; SEM = 0.045; MDC95 % = 0.124; CV = 5.02 %). Conclusions When the overweight ball is pushed in a horizontal direction, averaging the distances of three trials for both the dominant and non-dominant limbs is advised to provide the most reliable USSPT distance per limb and USSPT LSI.

To assess the effects of (1) rugby union practice, (2) history of injury managed nonoperatively, and (3) history of injury managed operatively on shoulder functional status in male rugby union players.Cross sectional study.Clinical.86 male athletes were assigned into four groups: multisport athletes, rugby union players without shoulder problems, with history of shoulder injury managed nonoperatively and with history of shoulder injury managed operatively.SI-RSI questionnaire, maximal isometric glenohumeral internal and external rotator strength, unilateral seated shot put test, upper quarter Y balance test.Healthy players presented higher internal (p = 0.03) and external (p = 0.04) rotator strength than multisport athletes. History of shoulder injury managed nonoperatively did not impair physical abilities but limited player's psychological readiness (p 0.001). After 4.5-months, shoulder stabilization surgery impaired maximal muscle strength and upper quarter body stability and mobility (p 0.001 for all).The shoulder functional status in rugby union player presented increased glenohumeral rotator strength when compared to non-collision sport athletes. In rugby union players, psychological concerns remained in the long-term after a shoulder injury managed nonoperatively, and psychological and physical readiness seemed not be reached at 4.5 months postoperatively to respond to rugby union practice demand.

Objectives To assess the reliability of a modified procedure for Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST). Design Intra- and intersession reliability and agreement; Setting Clinical. Participants Twenty-seven asymptomatic athletes. Main outcome measures The modifications (m-CKCUEST) in CKCUEST procedure consisted in hand spacing at one half arm-span, and to complete the three regular-series of 15 s exertion by performing a fourth 1-min series during which the number of touches was counted every 15 s. The intra- and intersession reliability and agreement were assessed for the numbers of touches in order to produce two outcome measures: m-CKCUEST score and muscular endurance index. Results The most reliable m-CKCUEST score was obtained when averaging the numbers of touches of the second and third sets (Intraclass Coefficient of Correlation(3,k); ICC = 0.92). Good reliability was found for muscular endurance index computed when dividing the one-half number of touches counted during the last 30 s of 1-min set, by the m-CKCUEST score calculated above (ICC = 0.86). Conclusions The m-CKCUEST allowed the production of two reliable outcome measures, which assessed the upper limb stability and the muscular endurance. Such outcomes may be used in a follow-up to assess performance or rehabilitation level.