@article{2984742,
    title = "The adjunctive benefits of mirror cross education on kinetic chain exercise approach in volleyball athletes with scapular dyskinesis",
    author = "Paraskevopoulos, E. and Simeonidis, T. and Tsolakis, C. and Koulouvaris, P. and Papandreou, M.",
    journal = "The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness",
    year = "2022",
    volume = "62",
    number = "1",
    pages = "98-109",
    publisher = "NLM (Medline)",
    doi = "10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12174-7",
    keywords = "athlete;  biomechanics;  human;  kinesiotherapy;  scapula;  volleyball, Athletes;  Biomechanical Phenomena;  Exercise Therapy;  Humans;  Mirror Movement Therapy;  Scapula;  Volleyball",
    abstract = "BACKGROUND: Volleyball players as overhead athletes have the highest risk of developing scapular dyskinesis. The kinetic chain exercise-approach has gained a lot of attention because of its claims to provide an improved motor control and scapular kinematics. A form of cross exercise, known as mirror therapy, may enhance the effects of a kinetic-chain-approach on scapular posture, upper and lower limb performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the adjunctive benefits of mirror cross education in a kinetic chain approach, in volleyball athletes with SD. METHODS: Thirty-nine professional volleyball athletes were randomly assigned to three groups of 13 each, two experimental, the mirror cross education and kinetic chain approach, and one control. Both experimental groups performed a kinetic chain approach program, however, the mirror cross education group performed the exercise program with the addition of two mirrors that allowed athletes to observe their opposite non-dyskinetic scapula. Scapular posture asymmetries in cm, the Y-Balance and the Upper-Quarter Y-Balance after normalizing by limb length the reach distance in each direction, were assessed before and after performing each intervention for 6 weeks. RESULTS: 3×2 two-way Mixed ANOVAs detected significant interactions on scapular posture (P=0.001) on both experimental groups when compared with the control. The Y-Balance and the Upper Quarter Y-Balance scores at both mirror cross education and kinetic chain approach groups showed significant differences when compared with the control (P<0.05). Overall, variables showed significant superiority of the mirror cross education group. CONCLUSIONS: The Mirror-Cross-Education demonstrated significant effects in scapular posture and in the functional balance tests of volleyball athletes with scapular dyskinesis."
}