Rehabilitation of Shoulder Injuries in Basketball

Abstract

Rehabilitation of the shoulder complex is challenging for clinicians due to the vast number of structures in a small area that can undergo extreme ranges of motion and angular velocities during sport. The glenohumeral joint has minimal boney congruency, and therefore heavily relies upon the rotator cuff and surrounding musculature to provide dynamic stabilization to the joint. This highlights the importance of rehabilitation to restore shoulder joint biomechanics and muscular function following shoulder injuries. Evidence for shoulder rehabilitation programs is limited, with the majority of clinical practice guidelines and protocols relying upon expert opinion. This chapter will utilize the Staged Approach for Rehabilitation of Shoulder Disorders (STAR) [1] as a guiding framework, combined with an objective criterion-based progression, to return athletes to basketball following shoulder injury/surgery.