Effects of scapular-focused movement-based exercises on sports performance of athletes with scapular dyskinesis: A systematic review
Authors
Mònica Solana–Tramunt1, Hossein Fakoor Rashid2, Narges Norouzi3, Yaser Dehghan4, Hossein Khazanin2, Bahareh Sadegh5, Mohammad Alimoradi 6,7, Hassan Daneshmandi2, Mohammad Alghosi 8*
- Department of Sports Sciences and Physical Activity, Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sport Sciences Blanquerna (FPCEE Blanquerna), Ramon Llull University, Research Group in Health, Physical Activity and Sport (SAFE), Barcelona, Spain,
- Department of Sports Injury and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran,
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran,
- Department of Physical Education, PayameNoor University, Tehran, Iran,
- Department of Sport Injury and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran,
- Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Science, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran,
- HERC- Health, Exercise & Research Center, Mina Rashid, Dubai Maritime City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
- Department of Physical Education, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran
Phase
Published in PLOS ONE
The Project
Abstract
Background:
Scapular dyskinesis is a common dysfunction among athletes, particularly in overhead sports, leading to pain, reduced range of motion (ROM), and impaired performance. Movement-based exercises are increasingly used to address these issues, but their overall impact on sports performance remains unclear.
Objective:
This systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of movement-based exercises on sports performance in athletes with scapular dyskinesis.
Method:
A comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed up to July 30, 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Data were extracted and assessed for risk of bias using RoB-2 and ROBINS-I tools. A narrative synthesis was performed due to study heterogeneity.
Results:
Fourteen studies (8 RCTs and 6 non-RCTs) involving 412 participants with a mean age of 23.8 years assessed movement-based interventions lasting from a single session to 24 weeks, primarily focusing on scapular stabilization, kinetic chain control, and proprioception over 6–8 weeks with around three sessions per week. Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that exercise likely improves shoulder function, disability, and glenohumeral range of motion over 6–12 weeks. However, the evidence for pain reduction and improvement in rotator cuff/scapular strength is of low certainty, showing mixed effects depending on the specific program. Evidence for improvement in scapular kinematics is also of low certainty. Sport-specific performance outcomes, such as throwing velocity, remain highly uncertain due to small sample sizes and conflicting results from RCTs.
Conclusion:
Movement-based exercises may be considered by athletes with scapular dyskinesis to potentially improve shoulder function and glenohumeral range of motion; however, the certainty of evidence for effects on pain relief, strength, and sports performance is very low. Therefore, strong recommendations cannot be made at this stage. More tailored programs and well-structured RCTs are needed to clarify these effects.