Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sports Med Int Open 2021; 05(01): E14-E21
DOI: 10.1055/a-1303-2741
Orthopedics & Biomechanics

Weight Category-dependent Trunk Muscle Strength and its Relation with LBP in Elite Judokas

Takashi Okada
1   Faculty of Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Setagaya-ku, Japan
,
Takayoshi Hakkaku
2   Department of Judo therapy, Japan Health and Medical College, Taito-ku, Japan
,
Kazunori Iwai
3   Department of Athletics (Wrestling),Western University, London, Canada
,
Koichi Nakazato
4   Graduate School of Health and Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Setagaya-ku, Japan
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Trunk muscle strength (TMS), especially rotator, is an important factor for both athletic performance and injury risks in judokas. However, the characteristics of TMS that depend on weight categories are still unclear. Although inadequate TMS might cause low back pain (LBP), the relationship between these two variables is not fully understood. In this study, weight category-dependent TMS and its relationship with LBP was investigated in Japanese judokas. The subjects were 66 male collegiate judokas, who were classified into the lightweight (N=14), middleweight (N=29) or heavyweight (N=23) category. The peak torques of extensor, flexor and rotator muscles were measured. The LBP group and non-LBP group were defined by questionnaire. TMS (normalized by body weight) in the heavier weight category showed a lower tendency in comparison with other categories, except for rotator strength. Significant differences were observed in the extensors (90 and 120 °/s; P<0.05) and flexors (60, 90 and 120 °/s; P<0.05). The LBP group (N=9) only showed significantly lower extensor (60 °/s; P<0.05) and right-rotator (60 °/s; P<0.01) strength in the heavyweight category compared with the non-LBP group (N=14). The relative TMS of judokas decreased in the heavyweight category, except for trunk rotator strength. Notably, low trunk extensor and rotator strengths are risk factors for LBP in heavyweight judokas.

Key words

athlete - martial art - weight category - injury - torso rotation


Publication History

Received: 10 September 2020

Accepted after revision: 03 November 2020

Article published online:
16 December 2020

© 2020. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

  • References

  • 1 Iwai K, Okada T, Nakazato K. et al. Sport-specific characteristics of trunk muscles in collegiate wrestlers and judokas. J Strength Cond Res 2008; 22: 350-358 DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181635d25.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Henry T. Resistance training for judo: Functional strength training concepts and principles. Strength Cond J 2011; 33: 40-49
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Franchini E, Panissa VL, Julio UF. Physiological and performance responses to intermittent Uchi-komi in Judo. J Strength Cond Res 2013; 27: 1147-1155 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182606d27
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Franchini E, Brito CJ, Fukuda DH. et al. The physiology of judo-specific training modalities. J Strength Cond Res 2014; 28: 1474-1481 DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000281.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Sward L, Eriksson B, Peterson L. Anthropometric characteristics, passive hip flexion, and spinal mobility in relation to back pain in athletes. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1990; 15: 376-382 10.1097/00007632-199005000-00007
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Sward L, Hellstrom M, Jacobsson B. et al. Back pain and radiologic changes in the thoraco-lumbar spine of athletes. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1990; 15: 124-129 DOI: 10.1097/00007632-199002000-00015.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Yamaji O, Imai N, Arima T. Lumbar disorders of the judo players. Tokay J Sports. Med Sci 1992; 4: 46-51
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Okada T, Nakazato K, Iwai K. et al. Body mass, nonspecific low back pain, and anatomical changes in the lumbar spine in judo athletes. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2007; 37: 688-693 DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2007.2505.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Handa N, Yamamoto H, Tani T. et al. The effect of trunk muscle exercises in patients over 40 years of age with chronic low back pain. J Orthop Sci 2000; 5: 210-216 DOI: 10.1007/s007760050153.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Hupli M, Hurri H, Luoto S. et al. Isokinetic performance capacity of trunk muscles. Part I: The effect of repetition on measurement of isokinetic performance capacity of trunk muscles among healthy controls and two different groups of low-back pain patients. Scand J Rehabil Med 1996; 28: 201-206
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Mayer TG, Smith SS, Keeley J. et al. Quantification of lumbar function. Part 2: Sagittal plane trunk strength in chronic low-back pain patients. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1985; 10: 765-772
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Shirado O, Ito T, Kaneda K. et al. Concentric and eccentric strength of trunk muscles: influence of test postures on strength and characteristics of patients with chronic low-back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1995; 76: 604-611 DOI: 10.1016/s0003-9993(95)80628-8.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Takemasa R, Yamamoto H, Tani T. Trunk muscle strength in and effect of trunk muscle exercises for patients with chronic low back pain. The differences in patients with and without organic lumbar lesions. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1995; 20: 2522-2530 10.1097/00007632-199512000-00012
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Flory PD, Rivenburgh DW, Stinson JT. Isokinetic back testing in the athlete. Clin Sports Med 1993; 12: 529-546
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Kankaanpaa M, Taimela S, Laaksonen D. et al. Back and hip extensor fatigability in chronic low back pain patients and controls. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1998; 79: 412-417 DOI: 10.1016/s0003-9993(98)90142-3.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Rodriquez AA, Bilkey WJ, Agre JC. Therapeutic exercise in chronic neck and back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1992; 73: 870-875
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Balague F, Damidot P, Nordin M. et al. Cross-sectional study of the isokinetic muscle trunk strength among school children. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1993; 18: 1199-1205 DOI: 10.1097/00007632-199307000-00013.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Shirado O, Kaneda K, Ito T. Trunk-muscle strength during concentric and eccentric contraction: a comparison between healthy subjects and patients with chronic low-back pain. J Spinal Disord 1992; 5: 175-182 10.1097/00002517-199206000-00005
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Iwai K, Nakazato K, Irie K. et al. Trunk muscle strength and disability level of low back pain in collegiate wrestlers. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004; 36: 1296-1300 DOI: 10.1249/01.mss.0000135791.27929.c1.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Moreno Catala M, Schroll A, Laube G. et al. Muscle strength and neuromuscular control in low-back pain: Elite athletes versus general population. Front Neurosci 2018; 12: 436 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00436.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Harriss D, MacSween A, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Kuroki T, Tajima N. The prevention effect of therapeutic exercise on low back pain in athletes. J Phys Med 1996; 7: 92-96
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Franchini E, Schwartz J, Takito MY. Maximal isometric handgrip strength: comparison between weight categories and classificatory table for adult judo athletes. J Exerc Rehabil 2018; 14: 968-973 DOI: 10.12965/jer.1836396.198.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Lindsay DM, Horton JF. Trunk rotation strength and endurance in healthy normals and elite male golfers with and without low back pain. N Am J Sports Phys Ther 2006; 1: 80
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Danneels L, Cools A, Vanderstraeten G. et al. The effects of three different training modalities on the cross-sectional area of the paravertebral muscles. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2001; 11: 335-341
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Iwai K, Koyama K, Okada T. et al. Asymmetrical and smaller size of trunk muscles in combat sports athletes with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration. Springerplus 2016; 5: 1474 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-016-3155-8.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Mayer TG, Smith SS, Kondraske G. et al. Quantification of lumbar function. Part 3: Preliminary data on isokinetic torso rotation testing with myoelectric spectral analysis in normal and low-back pain subjects. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1985; 10: 912-920
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Lee JH, Hoshino Y, Nakamura K. et al. Trunk muscle weakness as a risk factor for low back pain. A 5-year prospective study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1999; 24: 54-57 DOI: 10.1097/00007632-199901010-00013.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Gillies A, Dorgo S. Preventing lumbar injuries in rotational striking athletes. Strength Cond J 2013; 35: 55-62
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Hangai M, Kaneoka K, Hinotsu S. et al. Lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration in athletes. Am J Sports Med 2009; 37: 149-155 DOI: 10.1177/0363546508323252.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar