Handball is a sport in which two teams of seven players pass a ball using only their hands in order to project the ball into the opposing team’s goal. The ultimate objective of handball is to score more goals (which equate to points) than the other team. In the game of handball, several high-intensity movements take place. Therefore, physical fitness is a significant trait for coaches, recruiters, and sports scientists. A high-intensity movement of great importance is ball throwing which requires shoulder strength and mobility. For reference, during an average handball training session, players perform between 120 and 150 throws. Due to the emphasis on throwing, a shoulder injury is one of the three most common injuries in handball. The purpose of this study by Graancher et al. was to analyze the shoulder functional profile (rotation range of motion and strength), upper and lower body performance, and throwing speed in under 13 (u13) versus under 15 (u15) handball players. This study also measured the relationship between physical fitness and throwing speed in u13 versus u15 players.
In the study, 135 male handball players selected from Abanca Ademar León handball club (León, Spain) volunteered to participate in a series of physical tests that took place in an indoor handball court. Out of the participants, 92 u13 players were selected while 42 u15 players were selected.
Passive glenohumeral rotation was evaluated using a manual inclinometer (ISOMED inclinometer). Participants laid face-up on a bench with the shoulder 90° abducted and the elbow flexed at a 90° angle with the forearm perpendicular to the bench. From this position, an examiner held the participant’s proximal shoulder region against the bench to stabilize the scapula by avoiding overpressure. Another examiner rotated the glenohumeral joint to produce maximum passive internal and external rotation. Total glenohumeral rotation was calculated as the sum of internal and external maximum glenohumeral rotation. Isometric shoulder strength was determined using a portable handheld dynamometer (Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester). Participants laid face-up on a plinth with the shoulder abducted at 90° and the elbow flexed at 90°. Three repetitions of 5 s of maximum effort were performed as resistance gradually increased to maximum without forcing the glenohumeral joint to give out. Other fitness tests included Overhead medicine ball throw (MBO), handball throwing speed, hip isometric abductor (ABD) and adductor (ADD) strength, hip range of motion (ROM), countermovement jumps (CMJ), triple leg hops (3H) for distance, linear sprint tests, and change of direction tests.
The results of the tests were that older (u15) athletes routinely outperformed younger (u13) athletes in upper body, lower body, and athleticism tests.
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