Comparison of hip extension and rotation ranges of motion in young elite tennis players with and without history of low back pain.

Abstract

Although low back pain (LBP) is known to be multi-factorial, certain studies have suggested that a deficit in hip extension and rotation range of motion (ROM) may be associated with LBP in athletes. The purpose of this study was to compare hip extension and rotation ROMs in elite tennis players with and without a history of LBP. Forty-two male and 22 female young elite tennis players completed this study. Participants were divided into two groups: (1) 32 with history of LBP and (2) 32 without history of LBP. Descriptive measures of passive hip extension and rotation ROMs of the dominant and non-dominant limbs were taken. Active hip rotation ROMs were also assessed. Magnitude-based inferences on differences between groups and legs were made by standardizing differences. The inter-group statistical analysis reported no significant differences (p> 0.05; trivial effect with a probability higher than 95%; d⩽ 0.4) in any ROM measure analyzed. Further, neither LBP group nor control group reported significant bilateral or side-to-side differences (p> 0.05; trivial effect with a probability higher than 99%; d< 0.3) between legs regarding hip extension and rotation ROM measures. No relationship between hip extension and rotation ROM and history of LBP was found.