Game-Based Rehab for Scapular Dyskinesia

Scapular dyskinesia (SD) is a disorder defined by aberrant scapular placement and movement, which can have a substantial impact on athletes' performance, particularly those who participate in throwing sports like Frisbee. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of SD among Frisbee players in Malaysia, assess its effects on various aspects of athletic performance, and evaluate the effectiveness of gamified scapular rehabilitation exercises delivered via a mobile application. This study's approach is divided into three unique phases, where phase one consists of a prevalence and impact assessment using a cross-sectional study design, which will be carried out among several Frisbee clubs in Malaysia. This phase will use several outcome measures to evaluate SD and its impact along with respiratory muscle strength assessments to analyze the potential respiratory outcomes. Phase Two focuses on the creation of a mobile application that would gamify scapular rehabilitation exercises while embracing agile development approaches. The development process will include comprehensive testing procedures to ensure functionality and usability, such as functional testing to verify the application's features, usability testing to assess user experience, data validation to ensure accurate information processing, and regression testing to confirm stability after updates, and user acceptance testing to evaluate performance in real-world scenarios. Phase Three consists of intervention and evaluation by a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the efficacy of the gamified rehabilitation intervention. The intervention, which consists of gamified scapular rehabilitation exercises given via a mobile application, will last eight weeks. Subjects will be followed up after 6 months of the intervention to determine their level of adherence to the rehabilitation.The expected outcomes of this study aim to significantly contribute to the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation by introducing and validating gamified rehabilitation techniques specifically designed for athletes with scapular dyskinesia. The study results are expected to promote the well-being of athletes by improving their sports performance and reducing the risk of injuries. In conclusion, this study not only advances our understanding of SD in athletes but also paves the way for innovative rehabilitation solutions that can be adopted across various sports and settings.