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Submaximal Torque Control at the Shoulder in Young, Healthy Adults: The Effects of Dual Tasking, Fatigue and Taping

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Date

2026

Authors

Adams, Thomas

Supervisor

McNair, Peter
Rice, David

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Doctor of Philosophy

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

The shoulder is a highly mobile joint, particularly the glenohumeral joint, which sacrifices articular stability for increased mobility. To compensate, the joint relies on the complex actions of muscles, especially the rotator cuff, to provide functional stability. The sensorimotor system integrates peripheral sensory feedback, central processing and efferent muscle output to ensure coordinated muscle activity, maintaining joint stability. Much of the research on shoulder sensorimotor control has focused on proprioception and almost exclusively on joint position sense and movement appreciation, with far less attention to torque control. Studies of torque control could offer insight into sensorimotor control under conditions that may pose an injury risk. The aim of this research was to investigate submaximal torque control at the shoulder in healthy young adults under conditions of dual tasking, fatigue and shoulder taping. Three experimental studies were undertaken. The first, an observational cross-sectional study, investigated dual tasking and submaximal torque control of the shoulder internal and external rotators. The addition of a visual Stroop choice reaction task resulted in a dual task effect, with significant decreases in torque accuracy and steadiness during torque matching and tracking tasks. The second study, also of repeated measures design, examined the effects of an intermittent, duty-cycled, isometric fatiguing protocol on torque control in young healthy adults. Despite noticeable fatigue, torque matching accuracy and steadiness did not significantly differ between conditions. In the final study, a randomised crossover trial, participants performed shoulder torque matching and tracking tasks with and without a common shoulder taping technique. Taping had no significant effect on torque control. The main conclusions of this research were fourfold. 1) Cognitive dual-tasking impairs the ability of healthy individuals to match submaximal target torques and maintain steady torque output, suggesting the need for further research into motor-cognitive dual tasking in injury prevention and rehabilitation. 2) An intermittent isometric fatigue protocol did not significantly affect torque control in healthy young adults. However, applying this protocol to individuals with shoulder injuries and sensorimotor deficits might yield different results, offering important clinical insights. 3) A commonly used taping technique for shoulder injury prevention did not impact torque control meaningfully in healthy individuals. Similar to the fatigue findings, the effects of taping might differ in individuals with impaired sensorimotor control due to injury. 4) The studies used the same shoulder position and target torque, limiting the generalisability to other levels of torque or shoulder positions. Future research should explore the effects of varying target torque levels and other shoulder positions relevant to potential injury.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/21044

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