EFFECT OF A REHABILITATION PROGRAM ON SOME PHYSICAL VARIABLES AND SHOULDER JOINT PAIN LEVEL IN INJURED WEIGHTLIFTERS

Abstract

Shoulder joint is one of the most commonly injured joints among weightlifters due to nature of movement, which requires lifting heavy loads and repetitive motions. This leads to a decrease in functional efficiency and an increase pain level and decline in physical abilities. This research aims to identify effect of a standardized rehabilitation program on some physical variables and pain level of shoulder joint in injured weightlifters. The researcher used experimental method with a pre- and post-design for one group, sample included (10) weightlifters who had mild to moderate injuries to shoulder joint. An eight-week rehabilitation program was implemented, consisting of three weekly sessions. It included specific exercises to strengthen rotator cuff muscles, improve joint flexibility, and increase muscle balance. Pain levels were closely monitored using Visual Acuity Scale (VAS), and physical variables such as muscle strength, range of motion, and flexibility were measured. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in physical variables in experimental group compared to control group, and a significant decrease in pain levels after implementation of rehabilitation program. In addition, there was an inverse correlation between decrease in pain levels and improvement in muscle strength and flexibility. The study recommends adopting proposed rehabilitation program as an effective means of rehabilitating shoulder joint injuries in weightlifters, and paying attention to integrating physical and functional measurements with pain assessment to accurately monitor the progression of the condition.