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Background: Elite swimmers may be predisposed to disturbances in the range of motion (ROM) of hip joints and spinal curvatures, which are a factor that induces body's compensatory mechanisms that may have an impact on sports training, athletic performance and health. This study aimed to identify compensatory mechanisms in body posture of elite Para and able-bodied swimmers (spinal curvatures, ROM), to indicate the dominant locations of the compensatory mechanisms in the groups of Para and able-bodied athletes, and to identify and compare the prevalence and location of musculoskeletal pain from the last week and the last six months in the context of compensatory mechanisms., Methods: Thirty-five (nF = 8; nM = 27; age = 20.51 ± 4.24) elite Para and able-bodied swimmers from the Polish national team took part in the study and were divided into: study group (SG) of Para swimmers and control group (CG) of able-bodied swimmers. Depth of the anteroposterior spinal curvatures and sagittal spinal mobility testing were evaluated with a Medi Mouse device. The prevalence and locations of musculoskeletal pain were assessed with a Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire for the last seven days (NMQ-7) and the last six months (NMQ-6)., Results: In both groups lumbar hypolordosis, anterior pelvic tilt and pain in the shoulders, lower back and hips/thighs (NMQ-7) were reported the most frequent. In SG several significant relationships were found between duration of sport-specific training experience (years) and depth of angle the lumbar lordosis, the depth of the angle of pelvic inclination the ROM in the lumbar spine and thoracic spine, what was not reported in CG., Conclusions: Extrinsic compensatory mechanism was identified in both study groups, however only in SG it occurred as structural (depth of the angle of lumbar lordosis and pelvic inclination) and functional changes (ROM in the thoracic and lumbar spine) in the body posture. Internal compensatory mechanism was identified in SG, however external compensation showed only partially suppressive character regarding to internal compensation. The locations of the musculoskeletal complaints seems to result from both internal compensatory mechanism (SG) and continuous overload of the anatomy trains as a result of swimming training (SG, CG)., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: With the dynamic development of professional Paralympic sport, the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and structural and/or functional disturbances in Para athletes constantly increases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of internal compensatory mechanisms on selected aspects of body structure and function in elite sitting volleyball players., Methods: The study included eighteen elite sitting volleyball players (male; n = 12, female; n = 6, age; 36.0 ± 6.1, body mass; 76.6 ± 16.1, body height; 179.3 ± 0.1) from the Polish national team. Retrospective and direct participatory observation methods were used in the study. NMQ-7 was used to assess the current prevalence and location of musculoskeletal pain. The evaluation of spinal curvature and pelvic inclination was performed using a non-invasive Medi Mouse method (Idiag M360) in three different trunk positions. All statistical analyses were performed using Statistica 13.3 software package., Results: Lumbar hypolordosis was a predominant sagittal deviation of spinal curvature (n = 15;83%). Low back pain (LBP) and neck pain were the most frequent complaints (50%). Statistically significant differences in the values of thoracic kyphosis angle, pelvic inclination, and spine length (SL) in sagittal standing flexion and extension were found. However, there was no statistically significant difference in sagittal standing flexion for the lumbar lordosis angle with a simultaneous significant change in pelvic inclination (66.9°). Moreover, a tendency to interpenetration of relationships between variables that characterize (a) body structure and (b) function of the spine and musculoskeletal pain were observed. Shoulder pain correlated with SL (R = 0.6; p < 0.05) and body height (R = 0.5; p < 0.05). Pelvic inclination correlated with shoulder pain, LBP (R = 0.5; p < 0.05/R = 0.6; p < 0.01), and body trunk fat mass (R = - 0.6; p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Trunk fat mass induces internal compensatory mechanisms to maintain optimal pelvic inclination and sagittal spinal balance. Furthermore, the level of pelvic mobility may determine musculoskeletal pain in Para athletes with lower limb impairment., (© 2022. The Author(s).)