COMPARISON OF SPINAL SAGITTAL ALIGNMENT AND MOBILITY AMONG STANDING, SITTING, AND FOUR POINT KNEELING POSTURES / 体力科学

PURPOSE : The purpose of this study is to compare sagittal spinal alignment and mobility among standing and sitting (which are fundamental postures in daily activities), and four point kneeling (FPK: the imitation of quadrupedal animal posture).METHODS : Fifty three healthy young men have participated in this study. Spinal alignment is measured using a non-invasive skin surface measurement device (Spinal Mouse®: Index Ltd, Japan). The spinal alignment is measured in 3 positions: upright, flexion, and extension, in each posture (standing, sitting, and FPK), and then the thoracic and lumbar curvature and sacral slope are analyzed.RESULTS : Even between 2 fundamental positions, upright standing and sitting, the lumbar lordosis is statistically different (17.1±8.9° at upright standing, 3.5±10.0° at upright sitting, p<0.001). But the sacral slope is not different between those 2 positions. The lumbo-pelvic rhythm (lumbar-hip or lumbar-pelvis flexion ratio) is also different among the 3 postures, especially in FPK posture. In this posture the lumbar spine and pelvis (sacrum) move to opposite direction each other; this phenomenon is not observed at standing and sitting postures. CONCLUSION : The spinal alignment and mobility are different in many segments among standing, sitting, and FPK.

Body Characteristics of University Soccer Players Measured by Orthopedic Medical Check. A Look at the Hip Joint and Pelvis / 体力科学

The purpose of this study was to analyze the body characteristics of university soccer players, especially the hip joint and pelvis where chronic injuries frequently occur among soccer players.<BR>Body characteristics of seventy male university soccer players were surveyed by an orthopedic medical check. The Micro FET value (MF) was used as the unique test for the potential stress on the pubic symphysis. MF was defined as the pressure value at which a subject claimed tenderness from compression on the pubic symphysis.<BR>Among the various tests of the orthopedic medical check, trunk extension in the prone position and external rotation of the hip joint in the standing position correlated with MF. The same tendencies were observed in soccer players with pubic symphysitis.<BR>Results indicate that these three simple tests : MF, trunk extension in the prone position and external rotation of the hip joint in the standing position, can be used as valuable indices for detecting pubic symphysitis in the early stages.