The effect of american football training on the angles of spinal curvatures and segmental mobility of the spine
Journal Title: New Medicine - Year 2013, Vol 17, Issue 3
Abstract
Aim. To verify the effect of long-term American football training on the physiological curvatures and mobility of the spine.Material and methods. The study included 35 men (21-23 years of age) who practiced American football in teams from the Polish Top League, and 35 healthy controls of similar age who did not practice any sport discipline. The functional spinal parameters were determined with an aid of Penny & Giles tensometric electrogoniometer.Results. The analyzed groups differed significantly in terms of the angles of cervical and lumbar lordosis which proved greater in football players, by 1.1° and 2.2°, respectively. A significant reduction of the lumbar spine mobility: anteroflexion (by 6%), extension (by 21.3%), left and right lateral flexion (by 9.3% and 8.7%), and rotation to the left and right (by 17.7% and 14.7%), was revealed in football players, along with an increased mobility of the thoracic segment: anteroflexion (by 5.3%), extension (by 8.3%), and rotation to the right (by 5.6%). No significant differences in the mobility of cervical spine were documented.Discussion. According to literature, football players are characterized by increased lumbar lordosis and mobility of lumbar spine. Our partially contradictory findings may result from the fact that previous studies involved players from more experienced American league. Significantly reduced mobility of lumbar spine reflects greater compression forces generated in this segment.Conclusions. Tailored bioregeneration should constitute a vital component of the training programs as it could counterbalance the alterations of functional parameters resulting from the specifics of American football.
Authors and Affiliations
Michał Wendt, Piotr Bartkowiak, Zuzanna Klupsch, Paweł Szulc
Keywords
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