Contributions of Physical Therapy in Reducing the Morpho-functional Asymmetry ofthe Shoulder in Handball Players

The intense demands encountered in the game of handball are among the factors favoring the occurrence of injuries. Game technique and training strategy can be adapted to optimize the player’s physical status. Prevention in performance sports can contribute to increasing the quality of life of the players and increasing the level of performance. The aim of this study is to prove that the morpho-functional asymmetry of the upper limbs in performance handball, can be reduced by applying a prevention program through physical therapy. A number of 33 senior performance athletes from the men's handball team of the Suceava University Club participated in the study. Initial measurements were performed to find out if there is morpho-functional asymmetry in the shoulder, comparing the dominant limb with the non-dominant one. In this regard, hand grip strength, arm circumference and arm muscle mass were evaluated. In the initial tests, important differences were discovered between the dominant and the non- dominant limb, requiring intervention through physical exercise. An exercise program was implemented to increase upper limb strength and muscle mass over the course of an entire season. Following the final measurements, it was found that the degree of asymmetry between the dominant and the non-dominant limb was reduced, which means that the applied prevention program is a very effective one for balancing the muscles of the upper limbs. Demonstrating the effectiveness of the prevention program on the morpho-functional asymmetry of the upper limb, extensive research is required regarding the benefits of kinetic prophylaxis in performance sports. Other studies can further discover multiple strategies for organizing training sessions and physical therapy programs, in order to create the most effective prophylactic program for handball, but not only. Every sport needs to increase performance, and physical therapy proves itself efficient regarding the prevention of injury for performance players.