Lumbopelvic motor control in elite tennis players with and without a history of low back pain

[en] Objectives. - The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the prevalence of impaired lumbopelvic motor control in elite tennis players with disabling episode of low back pain in the previous year. Material and methods. - Thirty-five elite tennis players (9 males and 26 females, mean age 17.4 ± 2.6 years) from two Belgian Tennis Academies were asked to fill in questionnaires related to low back pain and to perform five lumbopelvic motor control tests (bent knee fall out test, knee lift abdominal test, sitting knee extension test, waiters bow and transversus abdominis test). A physiotherapist, blinded to the medical history of the participants, scored the performance of the players for each of the tests (0 = failed, 1 = correct) resulting in a total lumbopelvic motor control score ranging from 0 to 5. Results. - Forty percent of players reported at least one past disabling episode of low back pain lasting more than five consecutive days in the previous year. Significant more altered lumbopelvic motor control tests were observed in players with a history of low back pain (score of 1.7 vs 3.3 in those without a history of low back pain, P < 0.001). The between-group difference was particularly marked for the bent knee fall out test, the knee lift abdominal test and the transversus abdominis test (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions. - The current study confirms that low back pain is common in tennis players and has pointed out an impaired motor control of the lumbopelvic region in most tennis players with a history of low back pain.

Disciplines :

Orthopedics, rehabilitation & sports medicine

Author, co-author :

Grosdent, Stéphanie ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de médecine de l'appareil locomoteur ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Evaluation-Revalidation (EVAREVA)

Colman, David ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Evaluation-Revalidation (EVAREVA)

Demoulin, Christophe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Evaluation-Revalidation (EVAREVA)

Kaux, Jean-François ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de médecine de l'appareil locomoteur ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Evaluation-Revalidation (EVAREVA)

Roussel, Nathalie ; UA - University of Antwerp [BE] > Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (Movant)

Vanderthommen, Marc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Evaluation-Revalidation (EVAREVA)

Language :

English

Title :

Lumbopelvic motor control in elite tennis players with and without a history of low back pain

Publication date :

December 2023

Journal title :

Science & Sports

ISSN :

0765-1597

eISSN :

1778-4131

Publisher :

Elsevier Masson, Paris, France

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

836-844

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 30 June 2023

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Scopus citations^®

Scopus citations^®
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