[Subjective function scores for the musculoskeletal system of uninjured high-level competitive pole vaulters in recreational, training and competition periods].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of commonly used subjective, clinical scores to describe the health status of high-level competitive athletes in different phases of one training year.


METHODS
32 high-level pole vaulters (17 males and 15 females) were followed with support of "Deutscher Leichtathletik Verband" and "Leichtathletik Verband Nordrhein" for the period of a whole competition year. We used the Tegner activity scale (TAS), the Lysholm score and WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteo-arthritis Index) during recreational, training and competition periods. The score results for the athletes in the recreational phase were compared to the results of a control group. Also, the score results for the athletes in the different periods of the training year were statistically evaluated.


RESULTS
The statistical comparison of the score values of the control group with those of the athletes in the recreational phase showed no significant differences. Therefore, high-level athletes in pole vault have no subjective physical limitations compared to a control group. In the competition period, the athletes rated themselves lower in the TAS and in the WOMAC index than in the recreational and training phase. The Lysholm score did not show any significant change of subjective physical status in the competition period compared to recreation and training.


CONCLUSIONS
The subjective clinical scores used in this study do not show any changes in the health status of high-level competitive athletes in the course of one training year. If subjective scores are to be used to monitor the health status of high-level athletes, the Tegner scale, as well as the Lysholm and WOMAC scores are most likely not sensitive enough to measure possible over-use or repetitive stress problems.
Ritte
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T
Orthopädische Klinik des Universitätsklinikums Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf. thomas.ritte@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Ilg
A
A
Verde
P
P
Krauspe
R
R
Werner
A
A
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009142:Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014142:Track and Field / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*