Functional Exercise Induces Adaptations in Muscle Oxygen Saturation in Division One Collegiate Butterfly Swimmers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study investigates the impact of a five-week functional exercise intervention designed to enhance the muscular endurance of the posterior shoulder musculature, aiming to mitigate shoulder fatigue and overuse injury. Twelve Division I collegiate butterfly swimmers were recruited and evenly randomized into exercise (EX) and control (CTRL) groups. Weekly 100-yard butterfly sprints were performed, with Muscle Oxygen Saturation (SmO₂) continuously monitored using a wearable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device. This study is among the first to utilize wearable NIRS devices to monitor SmO₂ underwater during swimming, demonstrating that a targeted 5-week exercise program significantly improves posterior shoulder endurance, as evidenced by increased Posterior Shoulder Endurance Test (PSET) scores and distinctive SmO₂ adaptations in the EX-group compared to the CTRL group. These findings suggest that targeted dryland exercises can enhance posterior shoulder endurance with long-term implications for potentially reducing injury risk and improving performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]