Shoulder Arthrokinematics of Collegiate Ice Hockey Athletes Based on the 3D-2D Model Registration Technique

Objective: There is a lack of studies using the 3D-2D image registration techniques on the mechanism of a shoulder injury for ice hockey players. This study aimed to analyze in vivo 3D glenohumeral joint arthrokinematics in collegiate ice hockey athletes and compare shoulder scaption with or without a hockey stick using the 3D-2D image registration technique. Method: We recruited 12 male elite ice hockey players (age, 19.88 ± 0.65 years). For arthrokinematic analysis of the common shoulder abduction movements of the injury pathogenesis of ice hockey players, participants abducted their dominant arm along the scapular plane and then grabbed a stick using the same motion under C-arm fluoroscopy with 16 frames per second. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the shoulder complex were obtained with a 0.6-mm slice pitch. Data from the humerus translation distances, scapula upward rotation, anterior-posterior tilt, internal to external rotation angles, and scapulohumeral rhythm (SHR) ratio on glenohumeral (GH) joint kinematics were outputted using a MATLAB customized code. Results: The humeral translation in the stick hand compared to the bare hand moved more anterior and more superior until the abduction angle reached 40°. When the GH joint in the stick hand was at the maximal abduction of the scapula, the scapula was externally rotated 2~5° relative to 0°. The SHR ratio relative to the abduction along the scapular plane at 40° indicated a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: With arm loading with the stick, the humeral and scapular kinematics showed a significant correlation in the initial section of the SHR. Although these correlations might be difficult in clinical settings, ice hockey athletes can lead to the movement difference of the scapulohumeral joints with inherent instability.