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Original Articles

Variability of lumbar spinal alignment among power- and weightlifters during the deadlift and barbell back squat

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Pages 701-717 | Received 18 Apr 2019, Accepted 26 Sep 2019, Published online: 13 Nov 2019
 

ABSTRACT

The aims of the study were to evaluate the relative and absolute variability of upper (T11-L2) and lower (L2-S2) lumbar spinal alignment in power- and weightlifters during the deadlift and back squat exercises, and to compare this alignment between the two lifting groups. Twenty-four competitive powerlifters (n = 14) and weightlifters (n = 10) performed three repetitions of the deadlift and the back squat exercises using a load equivalent to 70% of their respective one-repetition maximum. The main outcome measures were the three-dimensional lumbar spinal alignment for start position, minimum and maximum angle of their spinal alignment, and range of motion measured using inertial measurement units. Relative intra-trial reliability was calculated using the two-way random model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and absolute reliability with minimal detectable change (MDC). The ICC ranged between 0.69 and 0.99 and the MDC between 1°-8° for the deadlift. Corresponding figures for the squat were 0.78–0.99 and 1°-6°. In all participants during both exercises, spinal adjustments were made in both thoracolumbar and lumbopelvic areas in all three dimensions. In conclusion, when performing three repetitions of the deadlift and the squat, lumbar spinal alignment of the lifters did not change much between repetitions and did not differ significantly between power- and weightlifters.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Jimmy Falk for his help with the data collection.

Disclosure statement

Ulrika Aasa, Victor Bengtsson and Lars Berglund report no conflict of interest. Fredrik Öhberg is currently involved in the startup company AnyMo AB which is manufacturing the system used in this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Swedish Research Council for Sport Science (P2017-0148) and Umeå School of Sports Sciences, Umeå University (SE) (Dnr 5.2-32-2016).