THE CHARACTERISTIC BODY POSTURE OF PEOPLE PRACTICING ROCK CLIMBING

Abstract

Introduction: Rock climbing has become not only one of the sports but also a popular form of recreation. The subject of climbing injuries is often discussed, however, the characteristic posture of the climbers and the associated risk of straining and overloading the back is still almost unexplored. Objective: To assess body posture of rock climbers and the factors contributing to changing the shape of curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane. Methods: The study was conducted on 58 person group of men. The subjects were divided into: group I - men trained to rock climbing, group II - men who have not been trained to rock climbing. In a clinical trial the curvature of the spine in the sagittal plane has been rated via the use of Rippstein Plurimetr, Dega test and the Thomas test. Results: It has been shown that men who are training rock climbing for extended periods of time have more chest kyphosis of the spine compared with men who are not. The study confirmed that the effect of the size of the thoracic kyphosis of climbers has: climbing level, training duration and the intensity of your workout. The results of the Dega test have shown the presence of the pectoral muscle contracture in 85% of climbers. Conclusions: Regular practice of climbing affects the formation of anterior-posterior curvature of the spine, and thus the attitude of the body, leading to the emergence of a typical body shape of climbers, namely, the “climber’s back”.