抄録
We wished to introduce a new method (punching test) for evaluating the function of the rotator cuff minutely in the throwing athletes. We studied 65 baseball players with a mean age of 14.2 years old. They were classified into 2 groups as follows: the injured group consisting of 37 players with either shoulder or elbow pain on their throwing side and the normal group consisting of the other 28 players. We examined them on the punching test performing as follows: subjects sat on the table for examination with their feet not touching the floor, their examined shoulder and elbow were extended at 20° and flexed over 90°, respec-tively and then we evaluated the power and speed during anterior flexion of their shoulder and extension of their elbow like a punch against the resistance of the examiner as fast as possible. We considered the test positive when the power and speed were clearly lower than those of the non-throwing side. We compared the positive ratio of the punching test between the injured group and the normal group. In the injured group, 35 (95%) of 37 subjects were positive, while in the normal group, 15 (54%) of 28 subjects were positive. We evaluated the scapular instability like the functional scapular winging in 18 of the 37 subjects in the injured group. The punching test was one of the most sensitive tests for evaluating both the function of the rotator cuff and the stability of the scapula in throwing athletes.
