{
  "abstract": "Handball is a high-intensity contact sport that imposes significant mechanical stress on the shoulder joint through repetitive, high-velocity overhead throwing, predisposing athletes to a wide spectrum of shoulder injuries. This narrative review examines the factors associated with shoulder injuries in handball players, highlighting underlying structural, adaptive and functional mechanisms across male and female athletes. A literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE was conducted to synthesize current evidence on bony anatomy, soft tissue adaptations and neuromuscular characteristics in handball cohorts. Factors associated with shoulder injury or symptoms can be broadly categorized into three conceptual domains: (i) bony anatomy and structural features, (ii) soft tissue adaptations and (iii) dynamic functional and neuromuscular factors. Bony factors include reduced acromiohumeral distance, increased humeral retrotorsion as a sport-specific skeletal adaptation and variations in glenoid morphology that may influence glenohumeral stability. Soft tissue adaptations include posterior capsular tightness, anterior capsular laxity and alterations in shoulder range of motion, particularly glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) accompanied by external rotation gain (ERG), which may influence glenohumeral kinematics and potentially contribute to shoulder symptoms or overuse conditions. Beyond these structural features, dynamic functional factors, including shoulder rotator muscle strength imbalances, impaired scapular control and training-load management, play a central role in injury development. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment encompassing anatomical correlates, soft tissue characteristics and functional/neuromuscular characteristics may support the development of targeted injury-prevention and rehabilitation strategies in handball players.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Physical Education and Sports Science, Department of Competitive Sports, Division of Team Handball, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "Department of Physical Education and Sports Science at Serres, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 62122 Serres, Greece.",
    "1st Orthopaedic Department, George Papanikolaou General Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Trauma Unit, St. Luke's Hospital, 55236 Thessaloniki, Greece.",
    "Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Zacharoula Papadopoulou",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-9146-8657"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Angelo V Vasiliadis",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6155-8898"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Eleni Maria Vrampa"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Nikiforos Galanis",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0171-7471"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2vn7cz651t53a.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/clinpract16100195",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13703634",
  "id": "2vn7cz651t53a",
  "issns": [
    "2039-7275",
    "2039-7283"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930380",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2746|Shoulder Injury and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223011126",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13703634?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13703634",
  "pmid": "42930380",
  "published": "2026-10-20",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2vn7cz651t53a.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:01Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42930380",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930380"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2746|Shoulder Injury and Treatment",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Bony Anatomy, Soft-Tissue Adaptations and Neuromuscular Risk Factors of Shoulder Injury in Handball Players: A Narrative Review.",
  "title_text": "Bony Anatomy, Soft-Tissue Adaptations and Neuromuscular Risk Factors of Shoulder Injury in Handball Players: A Narrative Review.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:22:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2vn7cz651t53a",
  "venue": "Clinics and practice",
  "versions": []
}