Shape of the Sagittal Curvatures of the Spine in Youthful Female Volleyball Players

Shape of the Sagittal Curvatures of the Spine in Youthful Female Volleyball Players

The goal of this study is to assess the formation of the sagittal curvatures of the spine in healthy girls practicing volleyball versus their untrained peers.

Research questions:

1. Is there a differentiation in values of thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis angles, and compensation ratio among girls practicing volleyball and their untrained peers?
2. Does practicing volleyball determine the frequency of correctness in the lumbosacral inclination, the shape of the curvature of the thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis?
3. Does practicing volleyball determine the frequency of types and subtypes of body posture?

The investigators compared 30 healthy girls aged 10-13 (attending training regularly, three times a week), with 30 healthy peers who did not train in any sports and did not regularly participate in any physical exercises apart from attending obligatory physical education classes. The Baseline Bubble inclinometer was applied as the research tool of choice. The study protocol entailed the measuring of the sagittal curvatures of the spine.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age range of 10-13 years,
• dominating right hand and right leg,
• a written informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• injuries of the musculoskeletal system,
• pathology of the limbs,
• previous orthopedic surgery,
• neurological disorders,
• refusal to participate in the study.