Effects of Cycling on Spine: A Case–Control Study Using a 3D Scanning Method
Antonino Patti,
Valerio Giustino,
Giuseppe Messina,
Flavia Figlioli,
Stefania Cataldi,
Luca Poli,
Giacomo Belmonte,
Alessandro Valenza,
Alessandra Amato,
Ewan Thomas,
Izabela Rutkowska,
Paula Esteban-García,
Antonio Palma,
Antonino Bianco
Affiliations
Antonino Patti
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Valerio Giustino
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Giuseppe Messina
Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele University, 00133 Rome, Italy
Flavia Figlioli
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Stefania Cataldi
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Study of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
Luca Poli
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Study of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
Giacomo Belmonte
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Alessandro Valenza
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Alessandra Amato
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Science, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Ewan Thomas
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Izabela Rutkowska
Faculty of Rehabilitation, University of Physical Education in Warsaw, 00-968 Warsaw, Poland
Paula Esteban-García
Performance and Sport Rehabilitation Laboratory, PerlaSport Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Science, University of Castilla la Mancha, 45071 Toledo, Spain
Antonio Palma
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Antonino Bianco
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of adopting a specific and prolonged posture on cyclists. This study aimed to evaluate the upright spine in a sample of recreational cyclists and compare it with a sample of non-cyclists, though still athletes, through a 3D scanning method. Methods: Forty-eight participants were enrolled in this observational study. The sample consisted of 25 cyclists for the cycling group and 23 non-cyclist athletes for the control group. The Spine3D device (Sensor Medica, Guidonia Montecelio, Rome, Italy) was used to evaluate the spine of the participants in both groups. Results: The results showed significantly greater spine inclination in the cycling group compared to the control group (p p < 0.01). Conclusions: This case–control study raises the possibility that the onset of lower back pain in cyclists may be due to a reduction in lumbar lordosis. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the Spine3D device can be used in sports to monitor the spine of athletes to prevent and reduce musculoskeletal deficits.
