Investigation of thoracic spine kinematics in adult sports participants with chronic groin pain during a single leg drop landing task

Date
2014-04
Authors
Morris, Tracy Louise
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Chronic groin pain is widespread across many sporting disciplines. The aim of our research was to determine if there are kinematic differences of the thoracic spine in active sports people with chronic groin pain, compared with healthy controls. A cross-sectional descriptive design was followed. Participants were required to complete six single leg drop landings with each leg from a 20cm height. The study was done in the 3D Movement Analysis Laboratory at the University of Stellenbosch. Ten male participants with unilateral or bilateral chronic groin pain of more than 3 months duration and 10 asymptomatic males, matched for age and sports participation, were recruited. The main outcome measures were: thoracic spine angle at initial foot contact, maximum thoracic spine angle, range of movement (ROM) (difference between the minimum and maximum values) and thoracic spine angle at lowest vertical point of the pelvis. This was assessed in all 3 movement planes: the sagittal plane (X plane), the coronal plane (Y plane) and the transverse plane (Z plane). The results of our study showed that for the unilaterally affected groin pain group, the cases landed in significantly more thoracic flexion (P<0.001 with large effect size) and were in significantly more thoracic flexion still at the lowest point. Peak thoracic flexion was significantly more in the cases than the controls. (P<0.001 with medium effect size) The same was true for the bilaterally affected group when landing on the most painful side, although this was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences in the frontal or transverse planes. In the bilaterally painful group, axial rotation ROM was significantly reduced when landing on either leg (worst affected side: P=0.040 with medium effect size and least affected side: p=0.006 with large effect size). The same occurred in the unilaterally affected group, although this was not statistically significant. Our study suggests that, in participants with chronic groin pain, there is greater thoracic forward flexion away from neutral during landing and that total axial rotation ROM during landing is diminished.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kroniese liespyn kom dikwels en in verskeie sportsoorte voor. Die doel van ons studie was om te bepaal of daar kinematiese verskille van die torakale werwelkolom is in aktiewe sportmense met chroniese liespyn, in vergelyking met gesonde kontroles. ‘n Dwars-deursnit beskrywende studiemetode is gevolg, en uitgevoer in die 3D Beweging Analise Laboratorium, Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Deelnemers moes ses landings op een been doen, met elke been, vanaf 'n 20cm hoogte. Tien mans met eensydige of bilaterale chroniese liespyn vir langer as 3 maande, en 10 asimptomatiese mans (ooreenstemmende ouderdom en sport deelname) het deelgeneem. Die hoof uitkomste wat gemeet is, was torakale werwelkolom krommingshoek by aanvanklike voet-kontak, maksimum torakale werwelkolom krommingshoek, omvang van beweging (OVB) (verskil tussen die minimum en maksimum waardes) en torakale werwelkolom krommingshoek by die laagste punt van die bekken. Dit is beoordeel in al 3 beweging vlakke: die sagittale (X) vlak, die koronale/frontale (Y) vlak en die transversale (Z) vlak. Die resultate van die studie het getoon dat, in die eensydig-geaffekteerde liespyn groep, die deelnemers in beduidend meer torakale fleksie geland het(P < 0.001, met 'n groot effekgrootte), asook met aansienlik meer torakale fleksie by die laagste punt na landing. Piek torakale fleksie was aansienlik meer in die liespyn-gevalle as in die kontroles. (P < 0.001, met middelmatige effekgrootte ) Dieselfde het vir die bilateraalgeaffekteerde groep gegeld wanneer hulle op hul mees pynlike kant geland het, hoewel dit nie statisties beduidend was nie. Daar was geen betekenisvolle verskille in die frontale of transversale vlakke van beweging nie. In die bilateraal pynlike groep, was aksiale rotasie OVB aansienlik verminder wanneer die gevalle op hul pynlikste been óf op hul minder pynlike been geland het ( mees pynlike been : P = 0,040, met 'n middelmatige effekgrootte en minder pynlike been : p = 0,006, met 'n groot effekgrootte ). Dieselfde het in die eensydig-geaffekteerde groep gebeur, hoewel dit nie statisties beduidend was nie. Ons studie dui daarop dat, in deelnemers met chroniese liespyn, daar meer torokale fleksie weg van neutraal tydens landing is en dat die totale aksiale rotasie OVB tydens die landing verminder is, in vergelyking met die kontrolegroep.
Description
Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Physiotherapy, Theses -- Physiotherapy, Groin -- Wounds and injuries, Kinematics, Jumping -- Physiological aspects, Spine -- Movements, UCTD
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