title: Effects of athletic training on the spinal curvature in child athletes.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the spinal posture in young athletes depending on training intensity. The spinal curvature of 245 children, age 8 to 12 years, was evaluated using rasterstereography. According to their weekly training time group 1 (mean age: 9.54 ± 1.18) did 2-6, group 2 (mean age: 9.49 ± 0.87) did 6-15 and group 3 (mean age: 9.68 ± 0.87) did over 15 hours of training. Group 1 had a significantly higher weight (p = 0.028) (33.86 ± 7. kg) than those of the more active groups (30.67 ± 6.49 kg and 29.46 ± 4.33 kg). The mean kyphotic angle decreased significantly (p < 0.001) with the amount of training per week from 46.86 ± 8.2° in group 1 to 40.08 ± 8° in group 3. We also found a significant decrease (p = 0.047) in lateral deviation with training from group 1 with 5.3 ± 3 mm to group 2 with 4.1 ± 1.6 mm. The results of our study suggest that higher training time can be associated with lower weight and decreases in thoracic kyphosis and lateral deviation of the spine.
authors: a Department of Orthopaedics , University Hospital RWTH Aachen , Germany.
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Betsch
authors: Thimm
authors: T
authors: Furian
authors: Valentin
authors: V
authors: Quack
authors: Björn
authors: B
authors: Rath
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Wild
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Rapp
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology; D008141:Lordosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture; D013131:Spine / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: children; lumbar spine; schoolchildren; training; training frequency; trunk posture