Impact of Elite Sports Participation on Active Cervical Spine...
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Funding Source: First Person Second Contributor The milder reduction of extension seen in American football and ice hockey, both high impact sports may be from the utilisation of protective equipment [9] as seen in Figure 6. Swimmers, Figure 7, the only non-contact sport included in this study had larger ACROM than controls and the ratio indicates a more central positioning in the neutral head position. Recognition of the mechanisms which can lead to change in players’ ACROM may help guide healthcare professionals to address the changes with appropriate interventions, treatment and rehabilitation. Elite sports men from differing disciplines were selected for measurement (see Table 1). Subjects Number (n) Mean age (yrs) Time playing at elite level (yrs) Rugby Forwards 26 26 ± 5 14 ± Ice Hockey 12 26 ± 4.5 17.7 ± 6.9 American Football 15 22 ± 1.9 5 ± 8 Swimmers 13 20 ± 8.3 data not available Table 1: This presents the sport played, number of subjects, mean age and time playing at elite level for the four disciplines selected for this study. Data analysis was performed using SPSS: ANOVA with post hoc tukey and student t-test analysis. Controls were taken from Swinkles[6]. Figure 2: Assessment Procedure Measurements were taken in (A) Neutral, (B) Full Flexion and (C) Full Extension Table 2: The ACROM results from the four sports shown against control data. All measurements reported in degrees and displayed as mean ± 1 Standard deviation(* indicates significant decrease from control values p <0.01). High achievement in sport is associated with, intense training, performance and specialisation. This can be the perfect environment for repetitive, cumulative relatively minor injury[1] which, if ignored, can result in altered functional capacity[2] . Alterations in cervical spine range of motion have been reported in patients with pathologies of the neck and shoulders[3]. Active Cervical Range of Motion (ACROM) assessment is a non-invasive, simple, highly validated method to study function of the neck[2,4-6]]. 1. Hootman J M, Dick R, Agel J. Epidemiology of Collegiate Injuries for 15 Sports: Summary and Recommendations for Injury Prevention Initiatives. Journal of Athletic Training 2007, 42(2): 311-319. 2. Lark SD, McCarthy PW. Cervical Range of Motion and Proprioception in Rugby Players Versus Non-Rugby Players. Journal of Sport Sciences 2007, 25: 887 – 89. 3. Sforza C, Grassi G, Fragnito N, Turci M, Ferrario VF. Three-dimensional analysis of active head and cervical spine range of motion: effect of age in healthy male subjects. Clinical Biomechanics 2002, 611–614. 4. Youdas JW, Garrett TR, Suman VJ, Bogard CL, Hallman HO, Carey JR. Normal Range of Motion of the Cervical Spine: An Initial Goniometric Study. Physical Therapy 1992, 72:770-780. 5. Capuano-Pucci D, Rheault W, Aukai J, Bracke M, Day R, Pastrick M. Intratester and Intertester Reliability of the Cervical Range of Motion Device. Archives of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation 1991, 72(5):338–40. 6. Swinkels RAHM, Swinkles-Meewisse IEJCM, Normal Values for Cervical Range of Motion. Spine 2014, 39(5): 362-367. 7. Trott, P. H., Pearcy, M. J., Ruston, S. A., Fulton, I., & Brien, C. Three-dimensional analysis of active cervical motion: The effect of age and gender. Clinical Biomechanics 1996, 11: 201 – 206. 8. Triantafillou K, Lauerman W, Kalantar S. Degenerative Disease of the Cervical Spine and its Relationship to Athletes. Clinics in Sport Medicine 2012, 31 (3), 509-520. 9. Navarro RR. Protective Equipment and the Prevention of Concussion V What Is the Evidence? Current Sports Medicine Reports 2011, 10(1):27-31. Subjects Flex Ext Tot Flex:ext (degrees) (degrees) (degrees) Control [4] n = 100 60 ± 11 75 ± 10 135 ±21 0.8 ± Rugby Forwards n = 26 *46 ± 3 *43 ± 9 *89 ± 12 *1.1± 0.1 American Football n = 15 55 ± 8 66 ± 7 121 ±15 0.8 ± 0.2 Ice Hockey n = 12 52 ± 13 68 ± 15 119 ± 21 0.8 ± 0.3 Swimmers n -= 13 66 ± 10 69 ± 8 136± 12 *1.1± 0.2 Figure 3: bar chart showing mean range of motion for the four sports. Coloured lines show readings for age and sex matched controls. Impact of Elite Sports Participation on Active Cervical Spine Range of Motion in Men Bianca B Zietsman*, Ceri Ann Jones, Andrew Heusch and Peter W M c Carthy University of South Wales Figure 3 and Table 2 show: The lowest mean ACROM was found in the rugby forwards. American football and ice hockey players both showed a relative reduction in mean extension when compared to controls. Swimmers recorded a mild increase in flexion but a more central positioning in the neutral head position compared to controls. Figure 7: image showing typical swimming movement. Figure 6: American footballer in protective equipment. Anthropometric data (body mass, height, neck girth) was recorded. Cervical spine warm up exercises - consisting of three movement repetitions through all ranges of ACROM without, then with, the subject wearing the CROM device were performed [2-4-6] Finally, data for ACROM in flexion and extension was recorded, Figure 2. A cervical range of motion device (CROM), Figure 1, was used to measure the subjects ACROM The protocol used in this study was the same as previously described in Lark and McCarthy 2007[2] Figure 1: CROM being positioned on the head of a volunteer Rugby forwards, Figure 5, recorded the lowest ACROM for extension and flexion. Figure 5: rugby scrum For further information contact http://ctdru.research.southwales.ac.uk/ Email: [email protected] Acknowledgements:: Cardiff Devils ice hockey team, British, American football team, Welsh national swimming team. Bath and Northampton Saints premiership rugby teams . A B C This group may come under the greatest compressive and sheer forces to the cervical spine during the scrum adversely affecting players’ ACROM [8]. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Control Rugby Forwards American Football Ice Hockey Swimmers Active cervical Range of Motion Flexion/Extension/Total Flex Extension Total
Transcript of Impact of Elite Sports Participation on Active Cervical Spine...
Funding Source:
First Person
Second Contributor
The milder reduction of extension
seen in American football and
ice hockey, both high impact
sports may be from the
utilisation of protective
equipment [9] as seen in Figure 6.
Swimmers, Figure 7,
the only non-contact sport
included in this study
had larger ACROM than
controls and the ratio
indicates a more central
positioning in the neutral
head position.
Recognition of the mechanisms which can
lead to change in players’ ACROM may help
guide healthcare professionals to address the
changes with appropriate interventions,
treatment and rehabilitation.
Elite sports men from differing disciplines were
selected for measurement (see Table 1).
Subjects
Number
(n)
Mean age
(yrs)
Time playing at elite level
(yrs) Rugby Forwards
26
26 ± 5
14 ±
Ice Hockey
12
26 ± 4.5
17.7 ± 6.9
American Football
15
22 ± 1.9
5 ± 8
Swimmers
13
20 ± 8.3
data not available
Table 1: This presents the sport played, number of subjects, mean age
and time playing at elite level for the four disciplines selected for this
study.
Data analysis was performed using SPSS: ANOVA
with post hoc tukey and student t-test analysis.
Controls were taken from Swinkles[6].
Figure 2: Assessment Procedure
Measurements were taken in (A) Neutral, (B) Full Flexion and
(C) Full Extension
Table 2: The ACROM results from the four sports shown against
control data.
All measurements reported in degrees and displayed as mean ±
1 Standard deviation(* indicates significant decrease from control
values p <0.01).
High achievement in sport is associated with,
intense training, performance and specialisation. This
can be the perfect environment for repetitive,
cumulative relatively minor injury[1] which, if ignored,
can result in altered functional capacity[2] .
Alterations in cervical spine range of motion have
been reported in patients with pathologies of the neck
and shoulders[3].
Active Cervical Range of Motion (ACROM)
assessment is a non-invasive, simple, highly
validated method to study function of the neck[2,4-6]].
1. Hootman J M, Dick R, Agel J. Epidemiology of Collegiate Injuries for 15 Sports: Summary and Recommendations for Injury Prevention Initiatives. Journal of Athletic Training 2007, 42(2): 311-319.
2. Lark SD, McCarthy PW. Cervical Range of Motion and Proprioception in Rugby Players Versus Non-Rugby Players. Journal of Sport Sciences 2007, 25: 887 – 89.
3. Sforza C, Grassi G, Fragnito N, Turci M, Ferrario VF. Three-dimensional analysis of active head and cervical spine range of motion: effect of age in healthy male subjects. Clinical Biomechanics
2002, 611–614.
4. Youdas JW, Garrett TR, Suman VJ, Bogard CL, Hallman HO, Carey JR. Normal Range of Motion of the Cervical Spine: An Initial Goniometric Study. Physical Therapy 1992, 72:770-780.
5. Capuano-Pucci D, Rheault W, Aukai J, Bracke M, Day R, Pastrick M. Intratester and Intertester Reliability of the Cervical Range of Motion Device. Archives of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation
1991, 72(5):338–40.
6. Swinkels RAHM, Swinkles-Meewisse IEJCM, Normal Values for Cervical Range of Motion. Spine 2014, 39(5): 362-367.
7. Trott, P. H., Pearcy, M. J., Ruston, S. A., Fulton, I., & Brien, C. Three-dimensional analysis of active cervical motion: The effect of age and gender. Clinical Biomechanics 1996, 11: 201 – 206.
8. Triantafillou K, Lauerman W, Kalantar S. Degenerative Disease of the Cervical Spine and its Relationship to Athletes. Clinics in Sport Medicine 2012, 31 (3), 509-520.
9. Navarro RR. Protective Equipment and the Prevention of Concussion V What Is the Evidence? Current Sports Medicine Reports 2011, 10(1):27-31.
Subjects Flex Ext Tot Flex:ext
(degrees) (degrees) (degrees)
Control [4]
n = 100
60 ± 11 75 ± 10 135 ±21 0.8 ±
Rugby
Forwards
n = 26
*46 ± 3 *43 ± 9 *89 ± 12 *1.1± 0.1
American
Football
n = 15
55 ± 8 66 ± 7 121 ±15 0.8 ± 0.2
Ice Hockey
n = 12
52 ± 13 68 ± 15 119 ± 21 0.8 ± 0.3
Swimmers
n -= 13
66 ± 10 69 ± 8 136± 12 *1.1± 0.2
Figure 3: bar chart showing mean range of motion for the
four sports. Coloured lines show readings for age and sex
matched controls.
Impact of Elite Sports Participation on
Active Cervical Spine Range of Motion
in Men Bianca B Zietsman*, Ceri Ann Jones, Andrew Heusch and Peter W McCarthy
University of South Wales
Figure 3 and Table 2 show:
The lowest mean ACROM was found in the
rugby forwards.
American football and ice hockey players both
showed a relative reduction in mean extension
when compared to controls.
Swimmers recorded a mild increase in flexion
but a more central positioning in the neutral head
position compared to controls.
Figure 7: image showing
typical swimming movement.
Figure 6: American
footballer in protective
equipment.
Anthropometric data (body mass, height, neck girth)
was recorded.
Cervical spine warm up exercises - consisting of
three movement repetitions through all ranges of
ACROM without, then with, the subject wearing the
CROM device were performed [2-4-6]
Finally, data for ACROM in flexion and extension was
recorded, Figure 2.
A cervical range of motion device
(CROM), Figure 1, was used to
measure the subjects ACROM
The protocol used in this study was
the same as previously described in
Lark and McCarthy 2007[2]
Figure 1: CROM being positioned
on the head of a volunteer
Rugby forwards, Figure 5, recorded the
lowest ACROM for extension and flexion.
Figure 5: rugby scrum
For further information contact
http://ctdru.research.southwales.ac.uk/
Email: [email protected]
Acknowledgements:: Cardiff Devils ice hockey team,
British, American football team,
Welsh national swimming team.
Bath and Northampton Saints premiership rugby teams.
A B C
This group may come
under the greatest
compressive and
sheer forces to the
cervical spine during
the scrum adversely
affecting players’
ACROM [8].
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Control Rugby Forwards American Football Ice Hockey Swimmers
Active cervical Range of Motion Flexion/Extension/Total
Flex
Extension
Total
