Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background: The subacromial space, measured as the acromiohumeral distance (AHD), is a key determinant of shoulder biomechanics and injury risk. Athletes performing repeti- tive upper-limb resistance training are particularly exposed to cumulative tendon stress. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Luis Palomeque Del Cerro, Montoya Miñano, Juan José, García De Pereda Notario, Carlos Miguel, Arráez Aybar, Luis Alfonso
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/130227
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/130227
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:611
Shoulder injuries
Ultrasound diagnosis
Acromiohumeral distance
Weight training
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Long head of the biceps tendon
Ciencias Biomédicas
32 Ciencias Médicas
id ES_69b50a8a8a24085f35258fdea976eb5c
oai_identifier_str oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/130227
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
spelling Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional StudyLuis Palomeque Del CerroMontoya Miñano, Juan JoséGarcía De Pereda Notario, Carlos MiguelArráez Aybar, Luis Alfonso611Shoulder injuriesUltrasound diagnosisAcromiohumeral distanceWeight trainingRotator cuff tendinopathyLong head of the biceps tendonCiencias Biomédicas32 Ciencias MédicasAbstract Background: The subacromial space, measured as the acromiohumeral distance (AHD), is a key determinant of shoulder biomechanics and injury risk. Athletes performing repeti- tive upper-limb resistance training are particularly exposed to cumulative tendon stress. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) enables dynamic, cost-effective assessment, yet its role in strength athletes remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to determine whether young adults engaged in regular upper-limb weight training present a narrower acromio- humeral distance and a higher prevalence of ultrasound-detected tendon abnormalities compared with non-weight-training individuals. Methods: We conducted a post hoc sub- analysis of a cross-sectional cohort of 66 young adults (18–45 years; mean 29.6 ± 9.0 years; 27 men/39 women) evaluated with standardized shoulder US. Participants were classified as weight-training (n = 15; 36.2 ± 5.7 years; 11 men/4 women) or non-weight-training (n = 51; 27.6 ± 8.8 years; 16 men/35 women). AHD was measured in millimeters, and abnor- malities of the supraspinatus, subscapularis, long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT), and subacromial–subdeltoid bursa were recorded. Between-group comparisons used Welch’s t-test or ω2/Fisher’s exact test; effect sizes were expressed as Cohen’s d or odds ratios (OR). Multiple testing was corrected with the false discovery rate (FDR). Results: Weight- training participants exhibited a significantly smaller AHD (7.13 ± 0.54 vs. 7.49 ± 0.68 mm; t (28) = →2.12, p = 0.038; mean difference →0.36 mm, 95% CI →0.70 to →0.03; Cohen’s d = →0.56). Supraspinatus tendinopathy was more prevalent in weight-training athletes (93.3% vs. 41.2%; OR 17.7, 95% CI 2.16–145.8; FDR-adjusted p = 0.003). Subscapularis ten- dinitis (40.0% vs. 17.6%; OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.00–12.88; FDR p = 0.14) and LHBT tenosynovitis (20.0% vs. 3.9%; OR 6.82, 95% CI 1.02–45.8; FDR p = 0.09) showed non-significant trends. Conclusions: Upper-limb weight training in young adults is associated with reduced AHD and a markedly higher prevalence of supraspinatus tendinopathy. Ultrasound proved valuable for early detection of structural and morphological alterations in shoulder soft tis- sues. Preventive strategies focusing on load management, exercise technique, and targeted strengthening should be prioritized.MDPIUniversidad Complutense de Madrid20262026-01-0120262026-01-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/130227reponame:Docta Complutenseinstname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Attribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/1302272026-06-02T12:44:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
title Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
spellingShingle Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
Luis Palomeque Del Cerro
611
Shoulder injuries
Ultrasound diagnosis
Acromiohumeral distance
Weight training
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Long head of the biceps tendon
Ciencias Biomédicas
32 Ciencias Médicas
title_short Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_full Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_fullStr Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_sort Ultrasound-Based Assessment of Shoulder Soft Tissue Alterations in Young Adults Performing Upper Limb Weight Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Luis Palomeque Del Cerro
Montoya Miñano, Juan José
García De Pereda Notario, Carlos Miguel
Arráez Aybar, Luis Alfonso
author Luis Palomeque Del Cerro
author_facet Luis Palomeque Del Cerro
Montoya Miñano, Juan José
García De Pereda Notario, Carlos Miguel
Arráez Aybar, Luis Alfonso
author_role author
author2 Montoya Miñano, Juan José
García De Pereda Notario, Carlos Miguel
Arráez Aybar, Luis Alfonso
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidad Complutense de Madrid
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv 611
Shoulder injuries
Ultrasound diagnosis
Acromiohumeral distance
Weight training
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Long head of the biceps tendon
Ciencias Biomédicas
32 Ciencias Médicas
topic 611
Shoulder injuries
Ultrasound diagnosis
Acromiohumeral distance
Weight training
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Long head of the biceps tendon
Ciencias Biomédicas
32 Ciencias Médicas
description Abstract Background: The subacromial space, measured as the acromiohumeral distance (AHD), is a key determinant of shoulder biomechanics and injury risk. Athletes performing repeti- tive upper-limb resistance training are particularly exposed to cumulative tendon stress. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) enables dynamic, cost-effective assessment, yet its role in strength athletes remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to determine whether young adults engaged in regular upper-limb weight training present a narrower acromio- humeral distance and a higher prevalence of ultrasound-detected tendon abnormalities compared with non-weight-training individuals. Methods: We conducted a post hoc sub- analysis of a cross-sectional cohort of 66 young adults (18–45 years; mean 29.6 ± 9.0 years; 27 men/39 women) evaluated with standardized shoulder US. Participants were classified as weight-training (n = 15; 36.2 ± 5.7 years; 11 men/4 women) or non-weight-training (n = 51; 27.6 ± 8.8 years; 16 men/35 women). AHD was measured in millimeters, and abnor- malities of the supraspinatus, subscapularis, long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT), and subacromial–subdeltoid bursa were recorded. Between-group comparisons used Welch’s t-test or ω2/Fisher’s exact test; effect sizes were expressed as Cohen’s d or odds ratios (OR). Multiple testing was corrected with the false discovery rate (FDR). Results: Weight- training participants exhibited a significantly smaller AHD (7.13 ± 0.54 vs. 7.49 ± 0.68 mm; t (28) = →2.12, p = 0.038; mean difference →0.36 mm, 95% CI →0.70 to →0.03; Cohen’s d = →0.56). Supraspinatus tendinopathy was more prevalent in weight-training athletes (93.3% vs. 41.2%; OR 17.7, 95% CI 2.16–145.8; FDR-adjusted p = 0.003). Subscapularis ten- dinitis (40.0% vs. 17.6%; OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.00–12.88; FDR p = 0.14) and LHBT tenosynovitis (20.0% vs. 3.9%; OR 6.82, 95% CI 1.02–45.8; FDR p = 0.09) showed non-significant trends. Conclusions: Upper-limb weight training in young adults is associated with reduced AHD and a markedly higher prevalence of supraspinatus tendinopathy. Ultrasound proved valuable for early detection of structural and morphological alterations in shoulder soft tis- sues. Preventive strategies focusing on load management, exercise technique, and targeted strengthening should be prioritized.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026-01-01
2026
2026-01-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/130227
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/130227
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Docta Complutense
instname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
reponame_str Docta Complutense
collection Docta Complutense
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869410048945422336
score 15.811543

Similares en LA Referencia