Spine and pelvis coordination variability in rowers with and without chronic low back pain during rowing

The Rowing Spine: A Review of Biomechanics, Injury, and Treatment

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to describe spinal biomechanics and injury patterns in rowing.

METHODS

In this systematic literature review, a Google and PubMed literature search was undertaken using keywords "rowing," "biomechanics," and "spine."

RESULTS

Relevant articles were reviewed and synthesized to describe biomechanics, injury patterns, treatment options, and techniques for injury prevention.

CONCLUSIONS

Rowing has increased in popularity throughout the United States. Up-to-date knowledge of rowing biomechanics and spinal injury patterns is necessary for prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the injured rowing athlete.

Lower-extremity inter-joint coordination variability in active individuals with transtibial amputation and healthy males during gait

This study was aimed to compare the variability of inter-joint coordination in the lower-extremities during gait between active individuals with transtibial amputation (TTAs) and healthy individuals (HIs). Fifteen active male TTAs (age: 40.6 ± 16.24 years, height: 1.74 ± 0.09 m, and mass: 71.2 ± 8.87 kg) and HIs (age: 37.25 ± 13.11 years, height: 1.75 ± 0.06 m, and mass: 74 ± 8.75 kg) without gait disabilities voluntarily participated in the study. Participants walked along a level walkway covered with Vicon motion capture system, and their lower-extremity kinematics data were recorded during gait. The spatiotemporal gait parameters, lower-extremity joint range of motion (ROM), and their coordination and variability were calculated and averaged to report a single value for each parameter based on biomechanical symmetry assumption in the lower limbs of HIs. Additionally, these parameters were separately calculated and reported for the intact limb (IL) and the prosthesis limb (PL) in TTAs individuals. Finally, a comparison was made between the averaged values in HIs and those in the IL and PL of TTAs subjects. The results showed that the IL had a significantly lower stride length than that of the PL and averaged value in HIs, and the IL had a significantly lower knee ROM and greater stance-phase duration than that of HIs. Moreover, TTAs showed different coordination patterns in pelvis-to-hip, hip-to-knee, and hip-to-ankle couplings in some parts of the gait cycle. It concludes that the active TTAs with PLs walked with more flexion of the knee and hip, which may indicate a progressive walking strategy and the differences in coordination patterns suggest active TTA individuals used different neuromuscular control strategies to adapt to their amputation. Researchers can extend this work by investigating variations in these parameters across diverse patient populations, including different amputation etiologies and prosthetic designs. Moreover, Clinicians can use the findings to tailor rehabilitation programs for TTAs, emphasizing joint flexibility and coordination.

Effects of rowing stroke rates on lower extremity intra-joint coordination variability in experienced young rowers

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of rowing stroke rates on lower extremity intra-joint coordination variability in professional rowers. Fifteen experienced young rowers volunteered to participate in this study. Kinematic data were recorded at different rowing speeds with seven Vicon cameras. The continuous relative phase (CRP) and CRP variability (CRPV) were used to calculate joint coordination and coordination variability, respectively, for the hip, knee, and ankle in the sagittal and horizontal planes, and a comparison was made among different rowing stroke rates. A vector analysis repeated measure ANOVA using statistical parametric mapping revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the hip-ankle, hip-knee, and knee-ankle CRPs for rowing at different stroke rates. Moreover, there was higher CRPV in the mid-drive and mid-recovery phases and less variability in the transition from the drive phase to the recovery phase. The results demonstrate the importance of knee joint in rowing tasks in experienced rowers during submaximal rowing stroke rate and the shift of movement to the hip at higher rowing stroke rate. Moreover, there was a smaller variability during drive-to-recovery transition, which may suggests an increased risk for overuse injuries.

Stereophotogrammetric approaches to multi-segmental kinematics of the thoracolumbar spine: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Spine disorders are becoming more prevalent in today's ageing society. Motion abnormalities have been linked to the prevalence and recurrence of these disorders. Various protocols exist to measure thoracolumbar spine motion, but a standard multi-segmental approach is still missing. This study aims to systematically evaluate the literature on stereophotogrammetric motion analysis approaches to quantify thoracolumbar spine kinematics in terms of measurement reliability, suitability of protocols for clinical application and clinical significance of the resulting functional assessment.

METHODS

Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect) were searched until February 2022. Studies published in English, investigating the intersegmental kinematics of the thoracolumbar spine using stereophotogrammetric motion analysis were identified. All information relating to measurement reliability; measurement suitability and clinical significance was extracted from the studies identified.

RESULTS

Seventy-four studies met the inclusion criteria. 33% of the studies reported on the repeatability of their measurement. In terms of suitability, only 35% of protocols were deemed suitable for clinical application. The spinous processes of C7, T3, T6, T12, L1, L3 and L5 were the most widely used landmarks. The spine segment definitions were, however, found to be inconsistent among studies. Activities of daily living were the main tasks performed. Comparable results between protocols are however still missing.

CONCLUSION

The literature to date offers various stereophotogrammetric protocols to quantify the multi-segmental motion of the thoracolumbar spine, without a standard guideline being followed. From a clinical point of view, the approaches are still limited. Further research is needed to define a precise motion analysis protocol in terms of segment definition and clinical relevance.

Kinematics of Cervical Spine during Rowing Ergometer at Different Stroke Rates in Young Rowers: A Pilot Study

Background: Research on biomechanics in rowing has mostly focused on the lumbar spine. However, injuries can also affect other body segments. Thus, the aim of this pilot study was to explore any potential variations in the kinematics of the cervical spine during two different stroke rates on the rowing ergometer in young rowers. Methods: Twelve young rowers of regional or national level were recruited for the study. The experimental protocol consisted of two separate test sessions (i.e., a sequence of 10 consecutive strokes for each test session) at different stroke rates (i.e., 20 and 30 strokes/min) on an indoor rowing ergometer. Kinematics of the cervical spine was assessed using an inertial sensor capable of measuring joint ROM (angle of flexion, angle of extension, total angle of flexion–extension). Results: Although there were no differences in the flexion and total flexion–extension movements between the test sessions, a significant increase in the extension movement was found at the highest stroke rate (p = 0.04, d = 0.66). Conclusion: Young rowers showed changes in cervical ROM according to stroke rate. The lower control of the head during the rowing stroke cycle can lead to a higher compensation resulting in an augmented effort, influencing sports performance, and increasing the risk of injury.

The Kinematic and Kinetic Responses of the Trunk and Lower Extremity Joints during Walking with and without the Spinal Orthosis

Spinal orthoses are an effective option for restoring the spine to its original position and controlling poor posture. However, the effects of poor posture and spinal orthoses on the kinematics and kinetics of trunk and lower extremity joints remain unclear. A six-camera Vicon motion capture system and two AMTI force plates were employed to collect gait parameters, including joint angle (spine, thorax, hip, knee, and ankle), range of motion (ROM), and ground reaction forces (GRFs). Furthermore, joint moments and joint reaction forces (JRFs) were calculated using a full-body musculoskeletal model in OpenSim. One-way repeated-measures ANOVA (p < 0.05) was used to compare significant differences among three trial conditions. These three conditions were walking in a normal posture, poor posture, and spinal orthosis. The results showed that spine ROM in the coronal and transverse plane was significantly lower when walking with a spinal orthosis compared to walking in normal and poor posture (p < 0.05). Compared to normal posture, the lumbar moments and back compressive forces were significantly increased when walking in poor posture (p < 0.05). However, when walking with a spinal orthosis, there was a significant decrease in trunk moments and reaction forces compared to walking in poor posture (p < 0.05). Individuals with poor posture could potentially induce instability and disorders, as evidenced by an increase in trunk moments and JRF compared to the normal posture. Spinal orthosis not only restricts spine ROM but also reduces the load on the spine and thus increases balance and stability.