Unit title: Research methods for Sport and ExerciseAssignment title: Presentation 1

Unit Leader: Scott BurnetUnit Code: HES017

Student Name: Patroklos Androulakis-KorakakisStudent Number: Q10908382

Presentation Date: 23/01/2015

Research Title:Low Back Pain in Powerlifters

Introduction – p.3Method – p.4-5Results & Analysis – p.6-7Summary – p.8Limitations – p.9Conclusion – p.10References – p.11

Contents Page

Powerlifting consists of the squat, deadlift and bench press (Fry et al., 1998) and its main goal is performing 1RM in the squat, bench press and deadlift with proper technique.

Squat, deadlift and bench press often used in several different sports to enhance performance (Kujala et al., 1995)

Aim: to investigate if low back pain (LBP) is common in powerlifters and if powerlifters experience more LBP than other athletes and assess the validity and reliability of the quantitative and qualitative tools that were used.

Limited literature on powerlifting and Low back pain - Cross-sectional study of 716 men (Granhed and Morelli, 1988)

Quantitative method: OSWESTRY Low Back Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) & Qualitative method: Semi-structured interview

ODQ used in several studies investigating low back pain in athletes (Miller, 2004), A Semi-structured interview is a great tool when investigating athletes (Tenenbaum and Driscoll, 2005)

ODQ regarded as one of the best “low back functional outcome tools” (Fairbank and Pynsent, 2000), with its validity and reliability assessed in several countries and also compared to similar questionnaires (Melikoglu et al., 2009, Mousavi et al., 2006, Vieira et al., 2014)

Introduction

Semi-structured interview Participants: 2 All participants selected to be interviewed Research Design: Descriptive Sampling: Purposive Procedure: The investigators approached powerlifters

at different training facilities and explained the aim of the study. The powerlifters that decided to participate in the study completed a semi-structured interview that allowed the investigators to examine low back pain in powerlifters.

Method OSWESTRY Low Back Disability Questionnaire

(ODQ) Participants: 40 male powerlifters, most of them

competing in different competitions and some members of the Greek Powerlifting Organization (Elliniko Somatio Dinamikou Triathlou – ESDT)

All participants selected to complete the ODQ voluntarily

Research Design: Descriptive Sampling: Purposive Procedure: A private link containing the ODQ was

administered thought the mail list of the Greek Powerlifting Organization to different athletes and copies of the ODQ were administered to a group of recreational powerlifters that were approached at different training facilities by the investigators. The ODQ was administrated to the participants again after 4 weeks in order to be able to compare results.

Semi-structured Interview

The semi-structured interviews looked at the participants overall training and past in the sport of powerlifting while addressing the issue of LBP and investigating personal experiences of the participants with low back pain

The interviews took place at a training facility and lasted 16 and 12 minutes

The interviews were recorded and later transcribed by two of the investigators

The investigators examined the transcript and extracted key themes that were used in order to form a hierarchy of themes (Ryan and Bernard, 2003)

MethodODQ

Data collected again after 4 weeks

Descriptive statistics was used in order to display the main features of the data collected

Pearson’s Correlation used in order to test the reliability of the two tests.

Pearson’s correlation = 1.000Correlation between Test 1

and Test 2 was significant

Most Powerlifters showed to have minimal disability and a few showed to have severe disability in the lower back

Most injuries in powerlifting occur on shoulders and lower back (Goertzen et al., 1989)

ODQ Analysis - Results

Test

1

Test 2

Figure 1

Semi-structured interview analysis - Results

Raw Data Themes

Structured approach to trainingEnjoyment of compound movements

Introduction to Powerlifting

SorenessPain in everyday activities

Warning sign

Sporadic incidences of low level LBP Experience with LBP

Most important factor for successful trainingVital in order to abstain from injuries

Strict Technique

Table 1

Summary As seen in several different studies the ODQ has been proven to be a very reliable tool to use with athletes

(Perich et al., 2010, Starkey et al., 2010)

Very limited research specifically on powerlifting and LBP (Goertzen et al., 1989) – most studies have looked at Olympic weightlifting (Fry et al., 1998)

Results indicated that the powerlifters that participated in the study experienced minimal low back disability with a small number experiencing severe low back disability

Linked with previous study where powerlifters were found to have lower LBP compared to a control group (Granhed and Morelli, 1988), LBP common in athletes of different sports (Trainor and Trainor, 2004, Daniels et al., 2011)

Powerlifters did not experience more LBP than other athletes that were involved in back loading sports (Bahr et al., 2004)

Possible relation between strict technique, which was observed in the semi-structured interviews and the low scores on the ODQ

Limitations

Many of the participants were Greek which can be considered as a possible limitation due to language acting as a barrier in fully understanding the ODQ

Small participant sample in the semi-structured interview

Limited Research on powerlifting and LBP

Semi-structured interviews were conducted in public places which might have impacted the participants’ responses

ConclusionODQ reliable and valid tool when it comes to measuring LBP in athletes

Semi structured interview valid but with limitations in reliability

Powerlifters do not experience more LBP than other athletes

Strict technique is key in order to avoid and often treat LBP

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