title: Intervertebral disc changes after 1 h of running: a study on athletes.
abstract: The lumbar spines of 25 long-distance runners were examined using an upright magnetic resonance imaging scanner. All volunteer runners were scanned before and after running for 1 h. Scanning was performed with the runners seated upright (neutral), leaning forwards (flexion) and leaning backwards (extension). All measured discs showed a reduction in disc height after 1 h of running. A significant reduction in disc height was observed in all three body positions (neutral, flexion and extension) after 1 h of running. The results showed that, in flexion, extension and neutral positions, intervertebral discs undergo significant strain after 1 h of running. The lowest disc-height reduction was found at the L5 - S1 space in the neutral position; the same space had the highest percentage of disc degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, PAGNI University Hospital, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. anastasiosdimitriadis@msn.com
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Dimitriadis
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Papagelopoulos
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Mavrogenis
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Karantanas
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hadjipavlou
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Katonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D056352:Athletes; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult