External and Total Hip Rotation Ranges of Motion Predispose to Low Back Pain in Elite Spanish Inline Hockey Players

Abstract

<jats:p>Low back pain (LBP) is a common ailment in competitive athletes. Although the association between limited range of motion (ROM) and prevalence of LBP has been widely investigated in other sports, there is no research about this topic in inline hockey (IH). The main purposes of this study in IH players were (1) to analyze the association between hip ROM and LBP and (2) to establish a diagnostic cutoff for ROM of high risk of LBP. Twenty elite IH players from the two Spanish National Teams (male and female) were assessed for passive maximum hip ROMs; the movement evaluated were the hip external [HER] and internal [HIR] rotation, hip flexion with flexed [HF-KF] and extended [HF-KE] knee, hip adduction with flexed hip [HAD-HF], hip abduction with neutral [HAB] and flexed [HAB-HF] hip, and hip extension [HE]. LBP was retrospectively monitored for the last 12 months before the date of ROM assessment by using a questionnaire. The data were analyzed via a binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves. The 70% of players had developed LBP during the retrospective study period. Significant differences between LBP group and asymptomatic group for HER (p = 0.013, d [Cohen’s effect size] = 1.17) and hip total rotation [HTR] (p = 0.032, d [Cohen’s effect size] = 1.05) were observed. The cutoff points with the greatest discriminatory capacity were 56.5° for HER and 93° for HTR ROMs.</jats:p>

Assessment of the Range of Movement of the Lower Limb in Sport: Advantages of the ROM-SPORT I Battery

“…In addition, the ROM can be decreased by high training loads and repeated movements used in technical sports actions during both training and competition throughout the season, which induces physical stress and fatigue on the muscles [ 23 , 24 ]. When these effects are not compensated with adequate recovery measures, the muscle, tendon units may suffer alterations in their mechanical and neuronal properties, including muscle tightness and a ROM reduction [ 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”

“…The ROM-SPORT I battery is a ROM assessment method that has been used to assess the main movements of the lower limb (11 ROM tests for hip [ n = 7], knee [ n = 1], and ankle [ n = 2]) in athletes and general population [ 7 , 24 , 60 , 61 ]. Currently, it seems that this battery may be the most appropriate in terms of validity, reliability, simplicity of the procedure, and low requirements of human and material resources.…”

Trunk Lateral Flexor Endurance and Body Fat: Predictive Risk Factors for Low Back Pain in Child Equestrian Athletes

“…The participants were the CEA of the Murcia Regional Team, who competed in the modalities of classical dressage and show jumping. The training volume defined as “training hours during the last 12 months” was calculated using the following formula: training hours × day × weekly training days × 4 weeks per month × months per year [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. None of the participants were involved in a systematic and specific physical training program in the last 12 months.…”

“…The maximum passive 9 hip and knee ROMs of the dominant and non-dominant limb were assessed by using the ROM-SPORT battery [ 15 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Both sagittal spinal curvatures and ROM were measured based on inclinometer techniques (ISOMED Unilevel inclinometer, Portland, OR, United States).…”

“…The relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable was calculated by backward stepwise binary logistic regression (forward selection (conditional), inclusion probability: p ≤ 0.05, elimination probability: p ≤ 0.10) with odds ratio (OR) analysis being applied as in previous studies [ 15 , 31 , 32 ] for estimating the simultaneous effects of several predictors instead of relative risk estimates [ 33 ]. Effect sizes for the OR were defined as follows: small effect OR = 1 to 1.25, medium effect OR = 1.25 to 2 and large effect OR ≥ 2 [ 34 ].…”