Mudanças ao longo de uma temporada esportiva na amplitude de movimento, postura, força isométrica e testes de desempenho do ombro e tronco em paratletas

Abstract

The para athlete exhibits musculoskeletal changes from their health condition, and sports participation can influence these variables. This thesis aims to monitor clinical measures of muscle strength, joint mobility, posture, and shoulder and trunk performance tests among para athletes in swimming, athletics, and powerlifting throughout a sports season, analyzing the relationship with each sport and type of impairment. The first study evaluated the range of motion (ROM), posture, and shoulder joint muscle function, comparing findings across sports, types of impairments, and a control group during the preseason. An observational study was conducted with 31 para athletes, assessing total shoulder ROM (internal rotation (IR) + external rotation (ER)), shoulder posture, and the isometric muscle strength ratio between IR and ER. Differences were found in ROM between swimming and other sports modalities, as well as with the control group, and in shoulder posture between powerlifting and swimming. The second study sought to investigate the behavior of ROM variables (IR, ER, and total (IR+ER)), posture, and shoulder muscle function in swimming and powerlifting para athletes throughout the sports season, examining differences across sports modalities and types of impairment. This observational longitudinal study followed 25 para athletes over eleven months, with evaluations conducted at three different time points, spaced three months apart. An increase in ROM (IR, ER, and total) and bilateral shoulder posture values was observed, regardless of sport modality or type of impairment. The third study tracked upper limb performance, trunk strength, and serratus anterior muscle strength in swimming para athletes throughout a sports season. This observational longitudinal study included twelve para athletes over eleven months, with assessments at three different time points, spaced three months apart. This study found a reduction in trunk muscle performance values, regardless of disability type; para athletes with motor impairments exhibited lower serratus anterior strength values by the end of the season than those with visual/intellectual impairments. Thus, the studies presented in this thesis contribute to understanding how musculoskeletal variables fluctuate throughout a sports season in para athletes and support enhanced periodic monitoring by multidisciplinary health teams.