Influence of typical handball characteristics on upper body posture and postural control in male handball players

Abstract

Background: Well defined constitutional parameters support the physical fatigue resistance in handball to maintain the performance level for the majority of actions. Ideal constitutional conditions are necessary to achieve these physiological advantages in handball. But limited knowledge exists about the upper body posture or the postural control in correlation to the Body Mass Index (BMI), playing years, playing position and throwing arm in professional male handball. Methods: Ninety-one male handball players participate (24.1 ± 5.9 years; playing experience 16.6 ± 5.7 years). A three-dimensional back scanner and a pressure measuring plate were used. Results: Correlations between BMI and upper body posture and postural control were not significant. Same counts for the comparison between the left and right throwing arm according to upper body posture and postural control (p ≥ 0.05). Correlations between the years of playing can be found at pelvis height (p ≤ 0.04) and for the length of the Center of Pressure (CoP) (p ≤ 0.01). Wing players are 6.5-8.5 cm smaller. The playing position is independently of BMI, age or upper body posture (p ≥ 0.05). Backcourt players have a higher load of the left and a lower load of the right foot compared to wing players (p ≤ 0.001). Left-right comparison (p ≤ 0.001/ 0.01) can be seen in pivot player (covered area), backcourt player (weight distribution left/right [rear] foot), wing player (weight and force distribution left/right foot, covered area). Conclusion: Goalkeeper, Backcourt and pivot players are taller and heavier than wing players. These physiological demands are not detectable in the upper body posture and slightly in postural control. Wing players have the most asymmetric load distribution and the longest length of CoP. Since goalkeepers do not differ from pivot or backcourt players, this can be lead back to the same training.

Musculoskeletal complaints, postural patterns and psychosocial workplace predictors in police officers from an organizational unit of a German federal state police force - a study protocol

“…Since these police officers often wear a protective suit, it seems reasonable to assume that MSDs can develop from this and that these can be observed in the upper body posture. Video raster stereography is a technique that is already used to measure the upper body posture [32][33][34]. In addition, there are available current standard values depending on age, sex and BMI that can be used as reference values [32].…”

Postural Balance Control in Sport and Exercise

“…In addition, it has been reported that PC is deteriorated due to both local and general fatigue, increasing the risk for traumatic musculoskeletal injuries . Since athletic performances need simultaneously musculoskeletal system integrity and well-developed PC (Ohlendorf et al, 2020), investigating the effect of neuromuscular fatigue on PC in athletes has been an interest for many studies Troester and Duffield, 2019). In this context, PC was shown to be more disturbed by neuromuscular fatigue in females compared to males Whyte et al, 2015).…”

The Disturbing Effect of Neuromuscular Fatigue on Postural Control Is Accentuated in the Premenstrual Phase in Female Athletes

“…In addition, it has been reported that PC is deteriorated due to both local and general fatigue, increasing the risk for traumatic musculoskeletal injuries (Gribble and Hertel, 2004 ; Pau et al, 2014 ). Since athletic performances need simultaneously musculoskeletal system integrity and well-developed PC (Ohlendorf et al, 2020 ), investigating the effect of neuromuscular fatigue on PC in athletes has been an interest for many studies (Thiele et al, 2015 ; Troester and Duffield, 2019 ). In this context, PC was shown to be more disturbed by neuromuscular fatigue in females compared to males (Gribble and Hertel, 2004 ; Whyte et al, 2015 ).…”