Comparing the Effects of Pelvic Alignment and Diaphragmatic Breathing on Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit (GIRD) - A Randomized Control Trial

Study design This study is a randomized, blinded, pretest-posttest control group experimental design comparing the effects of pelvic alignment vs. diaphragmatic breathing on Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit (GIRD). Protection of the subjects' rights will be secured through a signed informed consent form approved by the university Institutional Review Board.

Subject selection, randomization, and blinding process: Using statistical power analysis 45 healthy, college aged participants are needed for this study. These subjects will be volunteers and recruited by word of mouth by campus professors, coaches and physical therapy students and faculty.

Intervention timeline: Baseline assessment (pretest), five treatment sessions and a posttest. The time required by subjects will be between five and seven days total with each immediately succeeding the next. Treatment sessions will be approximately 10 minutes each. If any portion of this timeline happens to fall outside of the university operational hours, then the intervention will resume the following day. Subjects will be informed of their rights to receive the results of their assessments following the conclusion of the study. Two of the investigators will perform the initial screenings, groups assignments and treatments for all subjects. The other two investigators, who are blinded on participant's group assignment will perform all pretest and posttest measurements. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient model (3,3) will be used, in a pilot study, to assess inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for all testing procedures.

Testing Procedures:

The primary measurements include Ober's test, assessment of shoulder internal rotation range of motion, and spirometry measurements of maximal expiratory rate.