The impact of rugby training on the spinal functional parameters

*Paweł Szulc, Joanna Boch-Kmieciak, Piotr Bartkowiak, Jacek Lewandowski

Summary
Aim. The aim of the present paper was to determine the impact of many years of rugby training on the formation of spinal curvatures and spinal sectional mobility.
Material and methods. The research material constituted 20 rugby players of the Posnania Sports Club aged 20-25, and the control group of 20 students from the University School of Physical Education in Poznan aged 20-21. The results were also referred to the normative values. In both groups, the measurements of motion ranges of all the spinal sections in three planes, and the measurements of physiological curvatures were carried out using the Penny & Giles tensometric electrogoniometer.
Results. The significant limitations in the cervical spine concerned movements in sagital and transverse plane. The extension motion was limited by 17°, right-sided axial rotation by 29° and the left-sided by 32°.
Similarly, in the thoracic spine, significant mobility limitations occurred in the same planes, however the flexion motion was limited by 12° and axial rotation to both sides by 11°.
There was a statistically significant increase in angular values of spinal physiological curvatures among the rugby players by 10° on average.
Discussion. The obtained results indicate an increase in the angular values of physiological curvatures in rugby players and the limitation of mobility in the cervical and thoracic spine. Other authors indicate the flattening of spinal physiological curvatures. The discrepancies in the obtained study results indicate a more dynamic or static structure of the conducted rugby training.
Conclusions. Early introduction of the compensation exercises in rugby players may limit the unfavourable mobility changes within the functional spinal characteristics.

To jest tylko fragment artykułu. Aby przeczytać całość, przejdź do Czytelni medycznej.