Japanese Journal of Clinical Sports Medicine
Online ISSN : 2758-3767
Print ISSN : 1346-4159
The relationship between pelvic girdle flexibility and lumbar stress fractures (spondylolysis) in adolescent baseball players
T NakanishiN TakagiH KanekoG Murakami
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2023 Volume 31 Issue 1 Pages 109-116

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Abstract

In this study, we investigated the association between lumbar stress fractures (LSF), the acute phase of lumbar spondylolysis, and physical characteristics of adolescent baseball players. Participants were categorized into a fracture group (18 male baseball players aged 12-15 years, diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging) and a control group (25 asymptomatic baseball players aged 12-16 years). We evaluated the physical examination in both groups using the following tests: finger-floor distance, angle of straight leg raising test, the external and internal range of motion (ER and IR, respectively) of the hip joint, the Duncan-Ely test, the Thomas test, and Oberʼs test. Compared with the control group, the fracture group showed bilateral high positive rates in the Duncan-Ely test, bilateral increase in ER, and bilateral decrease in IR. Tightness of the anterior hip joint may increase the pelvic tilt and a decreased IR may limit pelvic motion during pitching, batting, and dashing, which may exaggerate lumbar load and result in LSF.

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© 2023 Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine
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