Characteristics of the Spinal Alignments and Spinal Muscles in Male University Kendo Players

Abstract

Purpose: Low back pain in kendo players is characterized by its development in the left lumbar area during stepping. The purpose of this study is to examine the factor and obtain indicators of physical therapy. Background: No paper has been published in English dealing with sport-associated disorders in Kendo practitioners. The present study was undertaken to provide information for overseas physicians and therapists involved in the care of Kendo practitioners, regarding the lower pack pain encountered in these individuals. Methods and measures: The subjects were 20 out of 37 male kendo players of the university from whom consent was obtained after explanation of the major purpose of the present study. We evaluated the spinal alignments using spinal X-ray pictures and spinal muscles by lumbar MRI (a ratio of the multifidus muscle to the major psoas muscle). Results: For the lateral spinal curvatures during stepping motion, all 20 players showed convex lateral curvatures in the left lumbar spine and the right thoracic spine. The average value of the lumbar flexure degrees was 27.5 ± 5.50 in standing and 39.0 ± 2.30 in stepping, showing a significant increase in stepping compared to standing (p<0.01). There was a significant negative correlation that when the ratio of the multifidus muscle to the major psoas muscle was low, the degree of change of the lumbar flexure was high (p<0.01). Conclusions: It was indicated that selective training of the multifidus muscle and increasing the amount of the muscle led to the prevention of low back pain.