title: Training intensity and sagittal curvature of the spine in male and female artistic gymnasts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Specific adaptations of the spine in the sagittal plane have been described according to different sports disciplines. The goal of this study was to describe the integrative diagnosis of the sagittal morphotype of the spine in male and female artistic gymnasts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight gymnasts were measured with an inclinometer. Thoracic and lumbar curves were quantified in standing position, in Sit and Reach and Slump Sitting in order to assess the sagittal spine posture and analyze if adaptations were related to training intensity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation values of the sagittal plane spine measurements showed significantly increased thoracic kyphosis in men (-0.445, P<0.001). No significant correlations have been found between training hours per year or training volume and any measurements of the spine on the sagittal plane. When data from the two sitting tests were integrated, 62.5% of gymnasts had a functional thoracic kyphosis and 39.6% had lumbar kyphotic attitude.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our hypothesis has only been partially confirmed, because training intensity did not influence the sagittal curvatures in artistic gymnastics; however, this sport seems to cause specific adaptations in postural hypolordosis, functional thoracic kyphosis and lumbar kyphotic attitude during sitting and trunk flexion. The implications of the functional adaptations observed in our results may require a preventive intervention in male and female artistic gymnasts can be assessed with the integrative diagnosis of the sagittal morphotype of the spine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports and Exercise Science, Murcia University, Murcia, Spain - jmsmengibar@hotmail.com.|Department of Physiotherapy, Clinic of Rehabilitation, Madrid, Spain - jmsmengibar@hotmail.com.|Vojta Therapy, London, UK - jmsmengibar@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sanz-Mengibar
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports and Exercise Science, Murcia University, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sainz-de-Baranda
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports and Exercise Science, Murcia University, Murcia, Spain.|V. de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain.|Faculty of Medicine, Murcia University, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santonja-Medina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013121:Spinal Curvatures; D013131:Spine / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult