Functional evaluation of lumbar spine in athletes performing gymnastics: an operational proposal for trainers

Aim In recent years, there has been increasing scientific interest in the health and performance of athletes. Low back pain (LBP) can limit the athlete performance and, above all, can be unsafe. Early prediction of LBP is pivotal for selecting appropriate training strategies. This study aimed at identifying a set of muscular-skeletal morpho-functional indicators to evaluate the risk for LBP in young athletes performing gymnastics, and at selecting among them the newest and more readily usable to be included in routine training to prevent LBP. Method 73 athletes (52 female, 21 male) ranging from 6 to 14 years were prospectively included between October 2013 and January 2014. Athletes were divided into 4 groups based on sex (F/M), training hours/week and skill (P, professional: 8-20 hours/week, heavy intensity; R, recreational: 6 hours/week, low/moderate intensity). Athletes were subjected to a set of 20 tests exploring postural attitude, backbone mobility, muscular flexibility and strength, and task execution was scored in a dichotomical way, i.e. as presence or not of a particular skill or postural alteration. Results The mean of positive executions in the whole sample was 76.61%. The male recreational group (MRG) recorded the worst performance (63.81%), the results in the female recreational group (FRG) were consistent with the whole sample mean value, while both the female (FPG) and male (MPG) professional groups recorded mean values higher than the sample mean (86.01% and 84.15%, respectively). FPG showed a lower percentage of correct posture (41.67%), with the presence of both hyperflexibility and hypermobility, and greater muscular strength with high amplitude of execution. MPG was characterized by a correct posture (70.00%), by flexibility and mobility lower than those observed in the FPG, and by greater strength with low amplitude of execution. Conclusion In none of the 4 groups there was clear evidence of risk factors for LBP. The greater stability of the lumbar spine observed in MPG can be attributed to specific isometric muscle work done by this group. The experimental protocol proved to be a useful diagnostic tool for assessment of muscular dynamics