In the overhead athlete, rotator cuff control is essential for sporting activities. As the rotator cuff is essential for dynamic control during overhead activities, knowledge of the patterning and timing of contractions will give insight into the shoulder. A pilot trial was conducted to investigate and compare the pattern of contraction of the rotator cuff muscles in throwers with shoulder pain and normals. Fine wire electrodes were inserted into supraspinatus, infraspinatus and subscapularis. Rapid external rotation was performed in sitting and in prone. The order of onset of supraspinatus, infraspinatus and subscapularis has been found to be significantly different between the groups (p<0.05). Subscapularis was found to contract first in normals and last in the pain group with supraspinatus contracting last in the normal group and first in the pain group. The time delay between the contraction of the first muscle to the last was also analysed. The time from the onset of the first muscle contraction to the onset of the last was found to be significantly longer in the shoulder pain group (p<0.05). The small sample size precludes drawing definite conclusions, but the results indicate pain is a significant factor in determining the pattern and onset of muscle contraction at the glenohumeral joint. These results indicate further research is essential as they may have a significant impact on rehabilitation protocols for overhead athletes presenting with pain. (2000 Pre-Olympic Congress, Sports Medicine and Physical Education, International Congress on Sport Science, 7-13 September - Brisbane, Australia 2000)
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