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Background and Aim: Core stability is the ability of the lumbopelvic- hip complex to prevent buckling of the vertebral column and return it to equilibrium following perturbation. It has been demonstrated that trunk muscle activity occurs before the activity of the prime mover of the limb. Core stability is seen as being pivotal for efficient biomechanical function to maximize force generation and minimize joint loads in all types of activities ranging from running to throwing. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between core stability and lower extremity function in female athletes.

 Materials and Methods: Thirty volunteer female athletes with mean age (SD)=23(3.8) years old, participated in this study. They performed two series of tests: core stability tests (hip isometric abduction and lateral rotation, double leg lowering, trunk extension – flexion and left and right lateral flexion endurance, and double leg lowering), and lower extremity function tests (star excursion balance tests in three directions, vertical jump, single and triple hopping, stairs sprinting, 6 m hopping, and shuttle run).

Results: The results of this study showed that the strength of hip isometric abduction with stairs sprinting, 6 m hopping , and with star excursion balance test in three directions had r=-0.430, r=-0.367and r=0.515 respectively and all significant. Also , right lateral flexion endurance with shuttle run (r=0.367) , double leg lowering with vertical jump (r=0.42), trunk extension endurance with vertical jump (r=-0.404) ,were significantly correlated. In the other items there were no relationship between core stability and lower extremity function (p>0.05).

Conclusion: There is a relationship between core stability and lower extremity function but studies have not supported them. However, the data showed that core stability is moderately too weak related to lower extremity function, core stability could not be measured with these tests and they are not good indicators for lower extremity function. Evaluation of the core should be dynamic, and compromise assessment of the specific functions which specialize for athletic groups.

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 Background and Aim: The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the Persian version of the American shoulder and elbow surgeons (ASES) were carried out in accordance with published guidelines.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 100 athletes (25.96±5.81 years), which suffered from different shoulder disorders. When the translation and cultural adaptation of the original questionnaire was carried out on the standardized method, the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire booklet including the DASH, the Short Form General Health Survey (SF-36) and ASES questionnaires. In addition, 30 randomly selected patients were asked to complete the ASES questionnaire 48 hours later for the second time. After data collection the Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS software.

Results: The Cronbach's alpha was used to indicate internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 for ASES. Test-retest reliability was quantified by use of the intraclass correlation coefficient. It was 0.91 for ASES questionnaire. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used for the questionnaire validation study. The DASH questionnaire showed high correlation of ICC=0.78 with ASES. The ASES showed moderate correlation of 0.48 to 0.62 with those of the various scales of the SF-36.

Conclusion: The Iranian ASES showed good reliability and validity and can be used for shoulder-specific patient self-assessment.

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Background and Aim: With regard to importance of the role of balance in performance of daily activity especially in exercise activity and necessary to identify the factors that influence the balance, the purpose of this study was to survey the effect of lower limb muscle fatigue on balance in elite young athletes.
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 15 young elite swimmers with a mean age and body mass index 17±0.7 and 21.62±0.5 during the two test phase, were studied. All participants performed the postural Stability and limit of stability tests in six for each test (three repetitions before and three repetitions after fatigue protocol by Wingate test)on the balance Biodex system. Values obtained by the system of the total , anterior - posterior, medial - lateral, anterior, anterior - right, anterior- left, posterior, posterior - right and posterior left index, were analyzed using paired sample t-test(P0.05).
Results: Results showed that fatigue caused a significantly influence the anterior - posterior, medial - lateral, posterior, left and posterior –left index.
Conclusion: With considering the specificity of training principle, the results can be helpful in the design of exercises involving the lower limb muscles in the specific direction. Keyword: Balance, Limit of stability, Fatigue, Athlete.

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Background and Aim: One of the risk factors in sports injuries is inappropriate flexibility of muscles, which leads to pain, decrease range of motion and functional limitation in sport or daily activities and affects the athletes’ quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between flexibility of calf muscles and functional status of athletes with ankle injuries.
Materials and Methods: Thirty male athletes with ankle injuries (mean age ± SD, 22.63 ± 3.94 range: 18-40 years) participated in this study. Ankle dorsiflexion of affected and non-affected sides were measured with a goniometer. FAOS (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score) questionnaire was used to evaluate the functional status of ankle.
Results: The relationship between flexibility of calf muscles in the affected extremity, and total score of the functional questionnaire, was not statistically significant (P>0.05). While the relationship between the flexibility of muscles and functional questionnaire's total score in the non injured extremity was significant (P = 0.004, r = 0.51).
Conclusion: This study revealed that although the athletes who have more flexibility of calf muscles, show better functional status of ankle but there is not necessarily a relationship between inflexibility of the muscles and lowered functional status.

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Abstract

 Background and Aim: Regard with the importance of balance in daily activities especially in sport activities and understanding the important factor affecting it, the purpose of this study was to compare the role of vision system on dynamic postural stability of young women with men elite athletes.

Materials and Methods: Twenty six young women and men elite swimmer were chosen from the available society. They were divided in two groups according to body mass index. Each subject performed postural stability tests for 6 trials with open and close eyes (3 trials with open and 3 trial with close eyes) that each trial was taken for 30 seconds and with 10 seconds rest between each of them. Balance index in anterior- posterior and medial- lateral directions were calculated and independent t test was used to compare between groups.

Result: Results show that men swimmer are more depended to vision than women swimmer in maintaining retrieval postural stability (p= 0.001), while most impairment in maintaining postural stability in both groups occur in lack of vision status in anterior- posterior direction (p= 0.001).

 Conclusion: The findings of this study can be used to design training programs to prepare athletes.

Key words: balance, vision, athlete, control

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Background and Aim: Scapular muscles stabilization and neuromuscular control are important factors in shoulder function during dynamic activities. The three-dimensional pattern of integrated movement between gleno-humeral and scapula-thoracic joints is known as the scapula-humeral rhythm. More involved rotator cuff and scapular muscles causes more motor units are being recruited, therefore perhaps with loading on scapular muscles, can evaluate muscles role in scapular position more accurately and comprehensively.

 

Materials and Methods: Thirty male basketball players, aged between 20 to 40 years were recruited for modified lateral scapular slide test. The linear distance between inferior angle of scapula and spinous process of T7-8 was examined in 90 degrees of scaption without load and with 1 kg loading by two examiners in one session using the caliper. One of the examiners repeated the test in next week.

 

Results: Amount of inter and intra-rater intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for 90 degrees of unloaded scaption was 0.73 and 0.82, respectively and for 1 kg loading position was 0.54 and 0.86, respectively. Amount of standard error of measurement (SEM) in inter and intra-rater measurements for 90 degrees of unloaded scaption was 0.83 and 0.59 cm, respectively and for 1 kg loading position was 0.97 and 0.45 cm, respectively.

  

Conclusion: 1 kg loading in scaption, did not significantly improve the reliability of the test that shows the amount of load is not appropriate to activate the muscles in the athletes.

 

Keywords: Loading in scaption, Lateral scapular slide test, Athletes, Reliability .

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Background and Aim: Regarding to high prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in athletes and its effect on their athletic function, an accurate evaluation before planning the rehabilitation program seems necessary in athletes with LBP. It should be considered that human movements are like as a kinetic chain. It means that any problems in every parts of this chain can cause dysfunction in the other parts of the chain. Not taking attention to the relationships between different parts of this chain may result in suboptimal rehabilitation. Therefore, focusing treatment on the entire parts of the kinetic chain besides the injured part, may prevent recurrenceof the dysfunction. Since in the kinetic chain hip muscles act as a link between lower extremities and trunk, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare muscles strength of hip joint in female athletes with and without non-specific chronic LBP.

  

Materials and Methods: Fifteen healthy female athletes and 15 female athletes with non-specific chronic LBP participated in this study. Their age was between 18-30 years. Hip extension, abduction and external rotation strength in all participants were measured. A hand-held dynamometer (HHD) was used to measure muscle strength. Since fixing HHD by examiner’s hand is fraught with error, it is fixed by a stable frame.

  

Results: The maximum strength value of hip extension and abduction in female athletes with LBP were significantly lower than these measures in healthy group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were seen in the maximum value of hip external rotation strength between two groups (P > 0.05).

  

Conclusion: The results of the present study show that hip extension and abduction strength in female athletes with LBP were lower than these measures in healthy group. Therefore, hip strength measurements besides the examination of the spinal column seem to be necessary in evaluation and rehabilitation of the patients with LBP.

  

Key Words: Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain, Hip Muscles Strength, Athlete

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Background and Aim : Pay attention to high prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women athletes and role of changes in lumbar lordosis, pelvic tilt and the type and number of delivery factors on the incidence of Urinary Stress Incontinence also lack of studies in this problem about risk factors (Predisposing factors) in Iranian population, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between changes in lumbar curvature and pelvic tilt with SUI and to determine the type and parity on the incidence of this problem .

  

Materials and Methods : In this cross - sectional study through easy and available sampling, 17 volleyball player with SUI and 15 healthy volleyball player, aged 20-40 years old. Females after interview and taking demographic information participated in the study. The Persian questionnaire of ICIQ-UISF (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form) used to confirm the SUI. A flexible ruler and inclinometer were used to measure lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt .

  

Results: A statistically significant difference was seen between the two groups in terms of the lumbar spine curvature (p< 0.001) and pelvic tilt (p = 0.02) respectively. Based on the findings, the number of delivery was no significant effect on the incidence of Stress Urinary Incontinence but there was significant relationship between type of delivery and SUI .

  

Conclusion: With significant difference in the lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt in athletic women with and without SUI, also advised to emphasize on the epidemiological and etiological investigation studies of lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt in patients with Stress Urinary Incontinence.

 

Key words: Stress urinary incontinence, Women athletes, Lumbo-pelvic posture

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Background and Aim: Behavior of people in the face of disease and help seeking is very different.  Considering the high prevalence of urinary stress incontinence in female athletes, knowing their experiences of help seeking and identify of their needs,  can be used to plan treatment strategies based on the needs of female athletes with stress urinary incontinence and shifting them to receive health care and rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study is to understand experiences of this group of female athletes from help seeking.

Materials and Methods: This is a phenomenological study and sampling was purposeful and performed after identifying professional female athletes by oral questions. Data gathering was semi-structured deep interview. The results of 29 individual and one focus group interview were analyzed using Colaizzi method.

Results: According to the results of this study, the findings were categorized to 3 themes and 11 sub-themes. Themes are self-treatment, do not help seek and use of prevention strategies.

Conclusion: Female athletes with stress urinary incontinence do not have correct awareness of available treatment for prevention and rehabilitation care of this condition and consider this condition as a part of sport injuries due to professionalism and they have less incentive to seek its cause and treatment.

Key words: Stress urinary incontinence, Experience of help seeking, Female athlete

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Background and Aim: Leg stiffness has recognized as a parameter related to sports performance and injury risk. The aim of the present study was to compare of leg stiffness during hopping test between female and male athletes.

 

Materials and Methods: Thirteen females and 12 males of the best Iranian racket-players participated in this study and<span style="font-family:;" dir="RTL" new="" b="" fa;="" mitra";="" roman";="" "times="" roman";"="" 12pt;=""> performed the bilateral hopping test at a frequency of 2.2 Hz. The subjects' leg stiffness was measured and was normalized through dividing by their body weights. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean of research variables between the female and male groups.

 

Results: Leg stiffness in the females was significantly lower than the males (p< 0.001), however the body mass-normalized leg stiffness was not significantly different between two groups (p = 0.290).

 

Conclusion: The lower leg stiffness observed in the female athletes may be a factor justifying their weakness in speed-based performances during horizontal movements. Furthermore, non-significant difference in normalized leg stiffness between two groups may indicate using a risky strategy by the females in vertical movement to compensate for the less inherent stiffness of their tendinous and muscular structures. Choosing the proper training programs to change the leg stiffness, may be an effective method to enhance the performance and to decrease the injury risk.

 

Keywords: Leg stiffness, Female and male athletes, Sports performance, Injury risk