Résumé
For paraplegic athletes, the repetitive demands of wheelchair propulsion and sports activities place the shoulder under maximum stress, leading to overuse and the development of musculo-articular injuries. To maintain the individual's autonomy and prevent the injuries, we investigated whether the marked muscular imbalance measured by the extensor-flexor test in our paraplegic athletes (Bernard et al. 1994) is related to a specific imbalance of rotator muscles in the shoulder.This study indicated that only a weak relation exists between the agonist/antagonist values of the extensor-flexor test and the values of rotator tests of the shoulder and glenohumeral joint. Indeed, for the athletic wheelchair population tested, we observed internal/external rotator strength and power ratios near the reference values of 1.5 during the three speeds of work.Paraplegic athletes do not present a muscular imbalance of the shoulder, as do some athletes. Nevertheless, we are conducting a study with a large population on the influence of wheelchair propulsion on the isokinetic strength and power of the shoulder rotator muscles. This will include an electromyographic analysis to define a conditioning program to maintain muscle balance and the conditions for injury prevention in relation to athletic performance.