The kinetic chain plays a large role in the force production of the body during activity. The core and the scapula are critical kinetic chain links to the upper extremity during overhead motions and should likely be accounted for when performing manual muscle testing of the shoulder. The purpose of this study was to manual muscle test the shoulder with a handheld dynamometer to determine the impact of scapular positioning, core activation, and the effect of the kinetic chain on force production. Forty (40) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes (23 females, 17 male) were tested in shoulder flexion and abduction in their relative posture, with the scapula retracted, and with the core activated. There were no significant differences within or between the three manual muscle testing conditions for shoulder flexion. Relative posture (15.8±5.0kg) and core activation (15.6±5.2kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (14.7±4.5kg) on the dominant arm for abduction (p≤0.05). Relative posture (16.6±5.8kg) and core activation (16.0±5.8kg) for abduction on the non-dominant arm resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction for the dominant arm (14.7±4.7kg) and non-dominant arm (15.0±5.0kg, p≤0.045). For the female subjects, abduction in relative posture (13.8±2.8kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (12.6±2.6kg) on the dominant arm (p=0.038). For male subjects, non-dominant arm abduction in relative posture (20.5±6.7kg) and core activation (19.8±6.7kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction (17.4±5.5kg) for both arms (17.9±6.0kg, p≤0.018). However, while the differences were statistically significant, the effect sizes were so small that the results may not be clinically significant. This suggests that full active scapular retraction or core activation may not aid force generation during shoulder flexion or abduction in high-level collegiate athletes.
","abstract_html":"<p>The kinetic chain plays a large role in the force production of the body during activity. The core and the scapula are critical kinetic chain links to the upper extremity during overhead motions and should likely be accounted for when performing manual muscle testing of the shoulder. The purpose of this study was to manual muscle test the shoulder with a handheld dynamometer to determine the impact of scapular positioning, core activation, and the effect of the kinetic chain on force production. Forty (40) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes (23 females, 17 male) were tested in shoulder flexion and abduction in their relative posture, with the scapula retracted, and with the core activated. There were no significant differences within or between the three manual muscle testing conditions for shoulder flexion. Relative posture (15.8±5.0kg) and core activation (15.6±5.2kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (14.7±4.5kg) on the dominant arm for abduction (p≤0.05). Relative posture (16.6±5.8kg) and core activation (16.0±5.8kg) for abduction on the non-dominant arm resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction for the dominant arm (14.7±4.7kg) and non-dominant arm (15.0±5.0kg, p≤0.045). For the female subjects, abduction in relative posture (13.8±2.8kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (12.6±2.6kg) on the dominant arm (p=0.038). For male subjects, non-dominant arm abduction in relative posture (20.5±6.7kg) and core activation (19.8±6.7kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction (17.4±5.5kg) for both arms (17.9±6.0kg, p≤0.018). However, while the differences were statistically significant, the effect sizes were so small that the results may not be clinically significant. This suggests that full active scapular retraction or core activation may not aid force generation during shoulder flexion or abduction in high-level collegiate athletes. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Henry, Kyrsten"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Exercise and Sport Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:53Z","subjects":["Exercise and Wellness","Manual muscle testing","Scapular retraction","Core activation","Handheld dynamometry","Kinetic chain","Shoulders"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2020 Kyrsten Henry"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/659","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Henry, Kyrsten"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-07-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Exercise and Sport Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Exercise and Wellness","Manual muscle testing","Scapular retraction","Core activation","Handheld dynamometry","Kinetic chain","Shoulders"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2020 Kyrsten Henry"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/659"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The kinetic chain plays a large role in the force production of the body during activity. The core and the scapula are critical kinetic chain links to the upper extremity during overhead motions and should likely be accounted for when performing manual muscle testing of the shoulder. The purpose of this study was to manual muscle test the shoulder with a handheld dynamometer to determine the impact of scapular positioning, core activation, and the effect of the kinetic chain on force production. Forty (40) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes (23 females, 17 male) were tested in shoulder flexion and abduction in their relative posture, with the scapula retracted, and with the core activated. There were no significant differences within or between the three manual muscle testing conditions for shoulder flexion. Relative posture (15.8±5.0kg) and core activation (15.6±5.2kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (14.7±4.5kg) on the dominant arm for abduction (p≤0.05). Relative posture (16.6±5.8kg) and core activation (16.0±5.8kg) for abduction on the non-dominant arm resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction for the dominant arm (14.7±4.7kg) and non-dominant arm (15.0±5.0kg, p≤0.045). For the female subjects, abduction in relative posture (13.8±2.8kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (12.6±2.6kg) on the dominant arm (p=0.038). For male subjects, non-dominant arm abduction in relative posture (20.5±6.7kg) and core activation (19.8±6.7kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction (17.4±5.5kg) for both arms (17.9±6.0kg, p≤0.018). However, while the differences were statistically significant, the effect sizes were so small that the results may not be clinically significant. This suggests that full active scapular retraction or core activation may not aid force generation during shoulder flexion or abduction in high-level collegiate athletes.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/PDF"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Comparing Shoulder Manual Muscle Testing With Scapular Retraction And Core Activation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Henry, Kyrsten"],"dc:date.available":["2021-07-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The kinetic chain plays a large role in the force production of the body during activity. The core and the scapula are critical kinetic chain links to the upper extremity during overhead motions and should likely be accounted for when performing manual muscle testing of the shoulder. The purpose of this study was to manual muscle test the shoulder with a handheld dynamometer to determine the impact of scapular positioning, core activation, and the effect of the kinetic chain on force production. Forty (40) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes (23 females, 17 male) were tested in shoulder flexion and abduction in their relative posture, with the scapula retracted, and with the core activated. There were no significant differences within or between the three manual muscle testing conditions for shoulder flexion. Relative posture (15.8±5.0kg) and core activation (15.6±5.2kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (14.7±4.5kg) on the dominant arm for abduction (p≤0.05). Relative posture (16.6±5.8kg) and core activation (16.0±5.8kg) for abduction on the non-dominant arm resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction for the dominant arm (14.7±4.7kg) and non-dominant arm (15.0±5.0kg, p≤0.045). For the female subjects, abduction in relative posture (13.8±2.8kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation compared to the scapula retracted position (12.6±2.6kg) on the dominant arm (p=0.038). For male subjects, non-dominant arm abduction in relative posture (20.5±6.7kg) and core activation (19.8±6.7kg) resulted in significantly greater force generation than scapular retraction (17.4±5.5kg) for both arms (17.9±6.0kg, p≤0.018). However, while the differences were statistically significant, the effect sizes were so small that the results may not be clinically significant. This suggests that full active scapular retraction or core activation may not aid force generation during shoulder flexion or abduction in high-level collegiate athletes.
"],"dc:format":["application/PDF"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/659"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2020 Kyrsten Henry"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Exercise and Wellness","Manual muscle testing","Scapular retraction","Core activation","Handheld dynamometry","Kinetic chain","Shoulders"],"dc:title":["Comparing Shoulder Manual Muscle Testing With Scapular Retraction And Core Activation"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Exercise and Sport Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:53Z"}