Galley Proof 3/01/2017; 15:27 File: ies–1-ies655.tex; BOKCTP/xhs p. 1 Isokinetics and Exercise Science -1 (2016) 1–8 1 DOI 10.3233/IES-160655 IOS Press The efficacy of functional supports in mediating the effects of exercise on shoulder joint position sense Lynsey M. Wilson and Matt Greig ∗ Sports Injuries Research Group, Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK Received 15 July 2016 Accepted 14 December 2016 Abstract. BACKGROUND: Prolonged exercise and joint position sense are considered aetiological risk factors for shoulder injury in overhead sports. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a neoprene sleeve and kinesiology tape (KT) in mediating the effect of exercise on shoulder joint position sense. METHODS: 25 overhead sports participants (women – 10, men – 15) completed 30 maximal isokinetic repetitions at 120 ◦ /s of three shoulder exercise protocols: 9090 (seated 90 ◦ shoulder abduction, 90 ◦ elbow flexion, modified neutral (seated 45 ◦ shoulder abduction, 90 ◦ elbow flexion in the scapular plane and diagonal (seated GHJ flexion, abduction, external rotation and extension, adduction and internal rotation. Absolute error in active reproduction of passive positioning was assessed pre- and post-exercise at 10 ◦ /s. This was conducted for end range internal and external rotation, and mid-range. RESULTS: A repeated measures general linear model revealed no significant main effect for gender or exercise in any test position. A main effect for support condition was observed pre-exercise in the KT condition, with JPS significantly (p< 0.01) impaired (5.30 ± 2.16 ◦ ) relative to baseline control scores (4.11 ± 2.81 ◦ ) in end range external rotation at the 9090 position. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that neither neoprene nor kinesio-tape were more effective in limiting the effects of exercise on joint position sense (JPS). Healthy, un-injured overhead athletes may not need to consider taping or supportive device, indeed KT application was observed to impair JPS in specific movements. Keywords: Joint position sense, kinesiology tape, neoprene sleeve, exercise, shoulder 1. Introduction 1 In overhead sports such as tennis, badminton, vol- 2 leyball and cricket (bowling) extended and prolonged 3 play is often necessary. It has been suggested that this 4 type of repetitive and prolonged exercise may alter the 5 normal kinematics of the gleno-humeral joint (GHJ) 6 from a joint position sense (JPS) perspective [1]. As 7 such it may be considered as an aetiological risk fac- 8 ∗ Corresponding author: Matt Greig, Sports Injuries Research Group, Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Edge Hill Uni- versity, Ormskirk L39 4QP, UK.Tel.: +44 0 1695 584848; Fax: +44 0 1695 584812; E-mail: matt.greig@edgehill.ac.uk. tor. Such an intrinsic risk factor may leave an athlete 9 susceptible to a reduction in performance or indeed an 10 increased occurrence of injury. Changes in muscle ac- 11 tivity and function of the mechanoreceptors may be as- 12 sociated with injury and loss of performance as deficits 13 in JPS may lead to failure of the rotator cuff (RC) to 14 control stability during movement [2]. Therefore, al- 15 terations to mechanoreceptor efficacy may have a detri- 16 mental effect. 17 Functional instability within the GHJ may be linked 18 to decreased proprioception and alterations in neuro- 19 muscular control [3] suggesting that alterations to JPS 20 and afferent pathways may increase susceptibility to 21 injury. Alterations to mechanoreceptor efficacy may 22 ISSN 0959-3020/16/$35.00 c  2016 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved