Fascial Manipulation Effect on Shoulder Range of Motion and Strength in Handball Players

The investigators conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial on the female and male handball players from the Izola Handball Club (Slovenia) who volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected in the first part of the competition season 2022/2023. The participants were randomly divided into investigated and control groups so that each group had approximately the same number of participants regarding sex and age. The Fascial manipulation (FM) was performed in the investigated group, whereas, in the control group, the participants did not receive the FM. Demographics (sex, age, height, weight, throwing shoulder, playing position, years of playing) were collected. The study protocol complied with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the National Medical Ethics Committee of the Republic of Slovenia (0120-78/2022/9). The aim of this research was to determine whether and how FM affects IR, HADD ROM and the strength of ER in handball players. The hypotheses include: (1) an increase in IR, HADD ROM, and strength of ER immediately after FM compared to the control group, (2) maintenance of increased ROM and ER strength one month after FM compared to baseline and the control group, (3) a decrease in the subjective feeling of tightness immediately and one month after and (4) the size of the FM effect increases with years of playing and vice versa.