Electromyography and nerve conduction velocity for the evaluation of the infraspinatus muscle and the suprascapular nerve in professional beach volleyball players.

Background: Beach volleyball is an overhead sport with a high prevalence of infraspinatus muscle atrophy of the hitting shoulder.

Hypothesis: Infraspinatus muscle atrophy seems to be caused by a repetitive traction injury of the suprascapular nerve. Early pathological findings might be assessed with surface electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) measurements.