Biomechanical Pole Vault Patterns Were Associated With a Higher Proportion of Injuries

Abstract

Background: Pole vault is a highly demanding sport where many physical and technical requirements are engaged in performance process. Considering level of energy transferred from athlete's horizontal speed to the pole during pole bending, we can imagine that associated musculoskeletal tensions, in addition to trials accumulation, can increase the risk of (specific) injuries. Given the multiple morphological, physical and technical characteristics of vaulters and ways of pole vaulting, we can hypothesis that some patterns of pole vaults can lead to higher injury risk than others. Aim: To analyze the potential association between the biomechanical patterns of pole vault and the history of injuries. Method: We conducted a study over national-level pole vaulters including the prospective collection of pole vault biomechanical data during competition at the national elite indoor championship and youth national indoor championship (U17 and U20), associated with the retrospective collection of their injuries during the 12 preceding months through an online questionnaire. Results: Among the 88 pole vaulters participating in these championships, 62 (70.5%) accepted to participated in this study, and their pole vault biomechanical and injury data were collected. 77.4% reported having presented at least one injury during the 12 preceding months. One biomechanical parameter related to the takeoff phase (lower H2, i.e., height of the grip (superior) hand from the ground when the athlete subsequently took off from the ground) and some biomechanical parameters related to the terminal phase of the run-up phase (higher Spd [i.e., speed between 10 and 5 meters to the box), SL adj (last stride adjustment), SL var (stride length variation), t c (contact time)] were significantly associated with higher proportions of all injuries. Edouard et al. Pole Vault Biomechanics and Injuries Conclusion: Biomechanical pole vault patterns during the competition day were associated with a higher proportion of history of all injuries. Although the injury data collection was retrospective leading to recall bias risk, and do not allow determining cause-consequence relationships regarding biomechanical patterns and injury occurrence, this present study is the first to analyze potential association between the biomechanical pole vault patterns and injury occurrence, which is of great help to provide hypotheses/ideas to design future studies and to move forward into prevention measures.

Kinematics of the Final Approach and Take-Off Phases in World-Class Men and Women Pole Vaulters

“…For instance, it was interesting that although most athletes had their upper grip hand behind the take-off foot, which would be expected to obtain better active energy transmission to the pole (Cassirame et al, 2017), the winner of the men's event had his upper grip in front of the foot. This vaulter also had an SLR greater than 100%, in that his last step was longer than the 2nd last, which is unusual in pole vaulting (Edouard et al, 2019). Hence, in contrast to what Panoutsakopoulos et al (2021) found in competition, where a sex-based difference was found with four women (but no men) having SLRs above 100%, there was an equal number of two men and two women who achieved this phenomenon in the present study.…”

Differences in joint angles during pole vaulting between male pole vaulters with and without chronic low back pain

“…Gainor et al reported an association between pole-vaulting motions and lumbar spondylolysis in three vaulters and pointed out that the maximum angular acceleration of a hyperextending spine occurred during take-off (TO) [11]. In addition, Edouard et al reported that some biomechanical parameters such as the lower height of the gripping hand from the ground at TO, higher approach speed, contact time on the floor, last stride adjustment, and stride length validity in the approach phase were associated with a higher proportion of all injuries [5].…”