Comparison of blood pro/antioxidant levels before and after acute exercise in athletes and non-athletes

The aims of our study were to assess the redox state of adolescent athletes and non-athletes both at rest and after acute exposure to physical load and to find relations between parameters of redox state and morphofunctional characteristics of subjects. 58 young handball players and 37 non-athletes were subjected to body composition analysis, measuring of maximal oxygen consumption and blood sampling immediately before and after a maximal progressive exercise test. At rest, athletes had significantly higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, higher levels of glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO) and lower levels of lipid peroxidation (TBARS) compared with non-athletes. A maximal exercise test induced statistically significant rise of superoxide anion radical (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and NO levels in non-athletes, while TBARS levels decreased. Athletes experienced the fall in NO levels and the fall in CAT activity. After exercise, athletes had significantly lower levels of O2- compared with non-athletes. Two way repeated measures ANOVA showed that the response of O2-, NO and TBARS to the exercise test was dependent on the sports engagement (training experience) of subjects. Significant correlations between morphofunctional and redox parameters were found. These results suggest that physical fitness affects redox homeostasis.     

How do we stand? Variations during repeated standing phases of asymptomatic subjects and low back pain patients

An irreproducible standing posture can lead to mis-interpretation of radiological measurements, wrong diagnoses and possibly unnecessary treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in lumbar lordosis and sacrum orientation in six repetitive upright standing postures of 353 asymptomatic subjects (including 332 non-athletes and 21 athletes – soccer players) and 83 low back pain (LBP) patients using a non-invasive back-shape measurement device.In the standing position, all investigated cohorts displayed a large inter-subject variability in sacrum orientation (∼40°) and lumbar lordosis (∼53°). In the asymptomatic cohort (non-athletes), 51% of the subjects showed variations in lumbar lordosis of 10–20% in six repeated standing phases and 29% showed variations of even more than 20%. In the sacrum orientation, 53% of all asymptomatic subjects revealed variations of >20% and 31% of even more than 30%.It can be concluded that standing is highly individual and poorly reproducible. The reproducibility was independent of age, gender, body height and weight. LBP patients and athletes showed a similar variability as the asymptomatic cohort. The number of standing phases performed showed no positive effect on the reproducibility. Therefore, the variability in standing is not predictable but random, and thus does not reflect an individual specific behavioral pattern which can be reduced, for example, by repeated standing phases.     

Measurement of spinal sagittal curvatures using the laser triangulation method

The purpose of the first part of the study was to establish the variability of repeated measurements in different measuring conditions. In the second part, we performed in a large number of patients, a measurement of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis and compared them to age, gender, and level of nourishment. In the first part, measurements were performed on a plastic model of the back of a patient with a rigid and a normal spine. In the second part, 250 patients participated in the study (126 men and 124 women). For measuring spinal curvatures we used an apparatus for laser triangulation constructed at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. A comparison of 30 repeated measurements was shown as the average value +/- 2 SD which included 95% of the results. Thirty repeated readings of one 3D measurement: thoracic kyphosis 41.2 degrees +/- 0.6 degrees, lumbar lordosis 4.4 degrees +/- 1.2 degrees; 30 measurements on a plastic model: thoracic kyphosis 36.8 degrees +/- 1.2 degrees, lumbar lordosis 30.9 degrees +/- 2.0 degrees; 30 measurements on a patient with a rigid spine: thoracic kyphosis 41.5 degrees +/- 2.4 degrees, lumbar lordosis 4.0 degrees +/- 1.8 degrees; 30 measurements on a patient with a normal spine: thoracic kyphosis 48.8 degrees +/- 7.4 degrees, lumbar lordosis 21.1 degrees +/- 4.4 degrees. The average size of thoracic kyphosis in 250 patients was 46.8 degrees (SD 10.1 degrees) and lumbar lordosis 31.7 degrees (SD 12.5 degrees). The angle size was statistically significantly correlated to gender (increased thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis in women) and body mass index (increased thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis in more nourished patients). Age was not significantly correlated to the observed angles. During measurements of the spinal angles it was important to pay attention to relaxation and the patient's position as well as to perform more measurements providing the average value. The age and the level of nourishment influence the size of the sagittal spinal angles. In the observed sample the effect of age was not confirmed.     

Comparing jumping ability among athletes of various sports: vertical drop jumping from 60 centimeters

Drop jumping performance (DJP) is of high importance in order to achieve sporting performance in both team and individual sports. The purpose of the present study was to compare DJP among athletes from various sports. One hundred thirty-eight male athletes (age: 22.3 +/- 3.6 years, body height: 1.87 +/- 0.08 m, body mass: 81.8 +/- 10.8 kg) from 6 different sports performed drop jumps from 60 cm (DJ60) on a force plate. Results revealed that volleyball players jumped higher (p < 0.001) than other athletes. However, track and field athletes produced higher peak force and higher power output using a shorter upward phase (p < 0.001). Further examination using principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that team sport athletes and single scull rowers exhibited DJP utilizing force and time parameters differently than track and field athletes. Conclusively, DJP was different among athletes of various sports. Furthermore, PCA can be a useful method for evaluating the above mentioned differences and for monitoring drop jumping training programs.     

High school students' body weight control: differences between athletes and non-athletes

Due to chronic dissatisfaction with body weight in youth, efforts to lose weight often lead to pathological dietary behaviours. Regular and heavy sports activity may contribute to the optimization of body weight, not only by elevating the energy utilization but also by increasing the health consciousness and the tendency to self-monitor. Research generally finds a beneficial role of extracurricular sports activity in body weight control. Therefore, we aim to analyze how regular, heavy sports activity (more precisely, competitive sports) may contribute to body weight control among two groups of youth: athletes and non-athletes. Our study was carried out using 347 adolescents; among them there were 91 athletes and 259 controls. The subjects completed self-administered questionnaires concerning their body weight control and dietary habits. We found that girls were less satisfied with their body weight and reported dieting more frequently with a greater emphasis on healthy dieting than boys. Sport influenced these strong gender differences only regarding healthy dieting, young male athletes laid a larger emphasis on healthy diets than their non-athlete counterparts, therefore their attitude became similar to that of female athletes and non-athletes. We conclude that despite the normal weight in high school students, episodes of dieting that might contribute to eating disorders were quite frequent. This was not influenced by the students' extracurricular sports activity. A greater monitoring of male athletes' and their friend's diet draw attention to the need for developing health education programs specific to boys.     

Echocardiographic characteristics in adolescent junior male athletes of different sport events

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different sport activities on cardiac adaptation. Echocardiographic data of 137 athletes and 21 non-athletes were measured and compared in two age groups 15-16 and 17-18 years of age. Athletes belonged into three groups according to their sports activity (endurance events, power athletes, ball game players). The observed variables were related to body size by indices in which the exponents of the numerator and the denominator were matched. Left ventricular hypertrophy was manifest in all athletic groups. Power athletes had the largest mean left ventricular wall thickness (LVWTd) in both age groups. In the older age group differences between the athletic groups were smaller, but the endurance and power athletes had significantly higher wall thickness. Left ventricular internal diameter (LVIDd) was the largest in the endurance athletes, while mean relative muscle mass (LVMM) was the largest in the power athletes. LVMM of the older endurance athletes was significantly larger. Muscular quotient (MQ) was the highest in the endurance athletes; in the 17-18-year group there was no inter-event difference. Bradycardia was most manifest in the endurance athletes and ball game players, power athletes had higher resting heart rates than non-athletic subjects. It can be inferred that endurance training induces firstly an enlargement of the left ventricle what is then followed by an increase of muscle mass. In the studied functional and regulatory parameters no difference was found between the athletic and non-athletic groups.     

Anatomical glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and symmetric rotational strength in male and female young beach volleyball players

Beach volleyball is a sport with a high demand of shoulder structures that may lead to adaptations in range of motion (ROM) and strength like in other overhead sports. Despite of these possible alterations, no study evaluated the shoulder adaptations in young beach volleyball athletes. The aim of this study was to compare the bilateral ROM and rotation strength in the shoulders of young beach volleyball players. Goniometric passive shoulder ROM of motion and isometric rotational strength were evaluated in 19 male and 14 female asymptomatic athletes. External and internal ROM, total rotation motion, glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD), external rotation and internal rotation strength, bilateral deficits and external rotation to internal rotation ratio were measured. The statistical analysis included paired Student’s t-test and analysis of variance with repeated measures. Significantly lower dominant GIRD was found in both groups (p < 0.05), but only 6 athletes presented pathological GIRD. For strength variables, no significant differences for external or internal rotation were evident. Young beach volleyball athletes present symmetric rotational strength and shoulder ROM rotational adaptations that can be considered as anatomical. These results indicate that young practitioners of beach volleyball are subject to moderate adaptations compared to those reported for other overhead sports.     

Power production among different sports with similar maximum strength

The purpose of this study was to compare 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength, maximum power (MP), linear momentum (Mp), and the loads of 1RM responsible for maximum power (MP%) and for linear momentum (Mp%) generated in explosive concentric bench press (CBP) motion among athletes from different sports. A total of 56 athletes (13 sprinters, 16 basketball players, 16 handball players, 5 volleyball players, and 6 bodybuilders) performed CBP in the loads of 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80% of 1RM with 1-minute rest intervals. MP and Mp were assessed during CBP by customized apparatus with 3 separate displacement transducers. There were no significant differences in MP, Mp, MP%, and Mp% among the athletes. The only significant positive correlation was found between overall 1RM and Mp for athletes (r = 0.37). In conclusion, long-term sport-specific training adaptations do not play a major role on speed-strength parameters in athletes with similar strength from different sports backgrounds.     

The risk of sports activities--the injuries of the Achilles tendon in sportsmen

The aim of this study was to determine whether professional sports activities and intensive training practice affect pathological changes of the Achilles tendon. We also aimed to investigate whether these injuries primarily occur earlier or later in life. This was a cross sectional study of 214 athletes and non-athletes between the ages of 17-66. Participants were divided into four groups: 63 active young athletes, 64 young persons not involved in sports, 6 elderly athletes and 58 elderly people who did not participate in intensive athletic activities during their lifetimes. Ultrasound measurements of the Achilles tendon were performed on all participants. All participants also completed a self-administered survey to collect demographic information and data on athletic participation. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Overall, those who were active athletes sought medical care more often than those who did not participate regularly in sports. Twenty-seven (33%) of young athletes had some Achilles tendon pathology, compared to 9 (14%) younger non-athletes. A total of 36 (64%) of elderly athletes were diagnosed with Achilles tendon disorders, compared to 15 (26%) of elderly people who were not active in sports. Microtears, acute tendonitis and peritendonitis were associated with younger age. By contrast, calcifications, scar tissue, and partial or complete rupture were only seen in the elderly     

Injuries in racket sports among Slovenian players

On the sample of 83 top Slovenian athletes we have studied the frequency of injuries among table tennis, tennis and badminton players, types of injuries and severity of injuries--the latter based on data of players absences from training and/or competition processes. The most liable parts to injuries are shoulder girdle (17.27%), spine (16.55%) and ankle (15.83%), while foot (10.07%) and wrist (12.23%) are slightly less liable to injuries. The most frequent injuries in racket sports pertain to muscle tissues. According to this data, the majority of injuries occur halfway through a training session or a competition event, mostly during a competition season. The injuries primarily pertain to muscle tissues; these are followed by joint and tendon injuries. There are no differences between male and female players. Compared to other racket sports players, table tennis players suffer from fewer injuries.     

Plasma lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase activity in elite athletes from selected sports

The activity of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and the plasma lipoprotein concentrations of elite athletes from 8 selected sports (volleyball, judo, sprinting, wrestling, throwing, cycling, water polo and tennis) were determined and compared with those of a sedentary control group. Plasma LCAT activity levels in the athletes were significantly 2.2-7.0 times higher than in the controls in most sports (p less than 0.01). Judo, sprinting, wrestling and throwing had comparable LCAT values while tennis, volleyball and cycling were considerably higher. HDL-C concentration was significantly higher than controls in the water polo (p less than 0.05), cycling and volleyball (p less than 0.01) groups. Percentage lipoprotein distribution in the athletes in all sports except tennis, throwing and wrestling were similar to the controls. The differences among groups in LCAT activity may be related to the effect of physical exercise and training adaptations to lipid metabolism. This may be of importance when judging the benefit of exercise for atherosclerosis protection.     

Monitoring of spine curvatures and posture during pregnancy using surface topography – case study and suggestion of method

Background

Low back and pelvic pain is one of the most frequently reported disorders in pregnancy, however etiology and pathology of this problem have not been fully determined. The relationship between back pain experienced during pregnancy and posture remains unclear. It is challenging to measure reliably postural and spinal changes at the time of pregnancy, since most imaging studies cannot be used due to the radiation burden. 3D shape measurement, or surface topography (ST), systems designed for posture evaluation could potentially fill this void. A pilot study was conducted to test the potential of monitoring the change of spine curvatures and posture during pregnancy using surface topography. A single case was studied to test the methodology and preliminarily assess the usefulness of the procedure before performing a randomized trial. The apparatus used in this study was metrologically tested and utilized earlier in scoliosis screening.

Case presentation

The subject was measured using a custom-made structured light illumination scanner with accuracy of 0.2 mm. Measurement was taken every 2 weeks, between 17th and 37th week of pregnancy, 11 measurements in total. From the measurement the thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis angles, and vertical balance angle were extracted automatically. Custom-written software was used for analysis. Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI) was done with every measurement. The values were correctly extracted from the measurement. The results were: 50.9 ± 2.4° for kyphosis angle, 58.1 ± 2.1° for lordosis angle and 4.7 ± 1.7° for vertical balance angle. The registered change was 7.4° in kyphosis angle, 8.4° in lordosis angle and 5.5° in vertical balance angle. The calculated ODI values were between moderate disability and severe disability (22 to 58 %).

Conclusions

This case study presents that surface topography may be suitable for monitoring of spinal curvature and posture change in pregnant women. The ionizing radiation studies are contraindicated during pregnancy. Surface topography data connected with information from pain level questionnaires allows to investigate the connection between changes in posture and back pain.

     

Anthropometry and body composition in soccer and volleyball players in West Bengal, India

50 sedentary males and 128 sports persons (volleyball=82, soccer=46) of 20-24 years were selected from West Bengal, India, to evaluate and compare their anthropometry and body composition. Skinfolds, girth measurements, body fat percentage (%fat), and endomorphy were significantly higher among sedentary individuals, but lean body mass (LBM) and mesomorphy were significantly (p<0.001) higher among the sports persons. Soccer and volleyball players were found to be ectomorphic mesomorph, whereas sedentary subjects were endomorphic mesomorph. The soccer and volleyball players had higher %fat with lower body height and body mass than their overseas counterparts. %fat exhibited a significant correlation with body mass index (BMI) and thus prediction equations for %fat from BMI were computed in each group. The present data will serve as a reference standard for the anthropometry and body composition of Indian soccer and volleyball players and the prediction norms for %fat will help to provide a first-hand impression of body composition in the studied population.     

Fungal infection of the feet in soccer players and non-athlete individuals

This study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence of mycoses affecting the feet of soccer players and to compare this results with those in non-athlete individuals of the same age and sex. Initial evaluation consisted of a dermatological examination of the foot in 22 Chinese athletes, 83 Brazilian athletes and 24 Brazilian non-athletes. Scales of plantar skin, interdigital and subungual areas of the foot were collected for mycological examination (direct and culture). Nail clippings were obtained for histopathologic analysis. Tinea pedis was diagnosed more frequently among the non-athlete individuals. None of the Chinese athletes had tinea pedis alone. However, in this group onychomycosis was frequently higher when compared to the other groups. The fungal microbiota comprised Trichophyton rubrum (40%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (36.4%) and Candida spp (20%). Candida spp was isolated only from Brazilian athletes. Results obtained with KOH wet mounts agreed with the results obtained in culture and with histopathologic examinations (50.5% vs 40.9%). The frequency of tinea pedis among soccer players was lower than the other groups in this study, possibly due to health education and professional feet care.     

Differences on spinal curvature in standing position by gender, age and weight status using a noninvasive method

This aim was to examine differences on lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis in standing position by gender, age and weight status in healthy subjects using a noninvasive method. A total of 297 women (36.6 ± 7.3 years) and 362 men (39.8 ± 7.5 years) participated in this study. Participants were categorized according to the international BMI (kg/m2) cut-off points. Age was stratified by ten years increments starting from 20 y. Men showed smaller lumbar lordosis (17.3 ± 9.3) and larger thoracic kyphosis (42.8 ± 8.8°) than women (29.6 ± 11.3 and 40.4 ± 9.5° respectively; both p < .001). Older groups presented smaller lumbar lordosis and larger thoracic kyphosis values compared with the 20-29 y group (20.9 ± 10.4, 20.8 ± 11.2 and 23.6 ± 12.6° for ≥ 50, 40-49 and 30-39 y, respectively vs. 26.7 ± 12.2° for 20-29 y in lumbar lordosis and 42.6 ± 9.8, 42.61 ± 8.7 and 41.8 ± 8.9° for ≥ 50, 40-49 and 30-39 y, respectively vs. 37.5 ± 10.9° for 20-29 y in thoracic kyphosis; both p < .05). Finally, overweight and obese groups showed smaller lumbar lordosis (19.4 ± 11.1 and 20.9 ± 11.8° respectively) and larger thoracic kyphosis values (42.7 ± 8.9 and 42.8 ± 9.4° respectively) compared with nonoverweight participants (25.1 ± 12.4 and 40.6 ± 9.2° for lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis respectively; all p < .05). However, when gender, age and weight status were take into account all together only gender seems to influence the lumbar lordosis curvature. The results of this study suggest that gender could be the only determinant factor of lumbar lordosis in healthy people.     

Field hockey players have different values of ulnar and tibial motor nerve conduction velocity than soccer and tennis players

The aim of this study was to describe motor nerve conduction velocity in upper and lower extremities in sportsmen. Fifteen high-level field hockey players, seventeen soccer players and ten tennis players were recruited from the Polish National Field Hockey League, Polish Soccer League Clubs, and Polish Tennis Association clubs,respectively. The control group comprised of seventeen healthy, non-active young men. Nerve conduction velocities of ulnar and tibial nerve were assessed with NeuroScreen electromyograph (Toennies, Germany) equipped with standard techniques of supramaximal percutaneus stimulation with constant current and surface electrodes. No significant differences in motor nerve conduction velocities were found between dominant and non-dominant limbs in each studied group. Ulnar nerve conduction velocity measured from above elbow to below elbow was significantly lower only in the field hockey players' dominant limb. Tibial conduction velocity of the field hockey players' non-dominant lower limb was higher in comparison to the tennis players and the control group. There was no significant correlation between body mass and NCV as well as between height of subjects and NCV in both athletes or non-athletes. A slight trend towards a lower TCV values in athletes with longer duration of practicing sport was found. It was most pronounced in the non-dominant lower extremity of field hockey players.     

Detecting Body Fat–A Weighty Problem BMI versus Subcutaneous Fat Patterns in Athletes and Non-Athletes

We aimed to describe the relationship between BMI and the subcutaneous adipose tissue topography within young athletes and non-athletic controls, to comparatively evaluate the diagnostic powers of subcutaneous adipose tissue thicknesses at different body sites, furthermore to explore appropriate cut-offs to discriminate between athletes and controls. Measurements were determined in 64 males and 42 females, who were subsequently separated into two even groups (athletes and non-athletes). The optical device LIPOMETER was applied at standardised body sites to measure the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue layers. To calculate the power of the different body sites and the BMI to discriminate between athletes and non-athletes, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed. In men, the neck (optimal cut-off value 2.3 mm) and trunk (optimal cut-off value 15.5 mm) provided the strongest discrimination power: with 90.6% (58 of 64) of the subjects being correctly classified into athletes or non-athletes. Discrimination power of the BMI values was 64.1% (41 of 64 were correctly classified). In women, the upper back (optimal cut-off value 3.3 mm) and arms (optimal cut-off value 15.9 mm) provided the strongest discrimination power with 88.1% (37 of 42 being correctly classified). When using BMI to discriminate between athletes and non-athletes only 52.4% (22 of 42) were correctly classified. These results suggest that compared to BMI levels, subcutaneous fat patterns are a more accurate way of discriminating between athletes and non-athletes. In particular the neck and the trunk compartment in men and the upper back and arms compartment in women, were the best sites to discriminate between young athletes and non-athletes on the basis of their fat patterns.     

The effects of 6 weeks of preseason skill-based conditioning on physical performance in male volleyball players

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in physical performance after a 6-week skill-based conditioning training program in male competitive volleyball players. Sixteen male volleyball players (mean ± SD: age 22.3 ± 3.7 years, body height 190.7 ± 4.2 cm, and body mass 78.4 ± 4.5 kg) participated in this study. The players were tested for sprinting (5- and 10-m sprint), agility, and jumping performance (the vertical-jump test, the spike-jump test, and the standing broad jump [SBJ]). Compared with pretraining, there was a significant improvement in the 5- and 10-m speed. There were no significant differences between pretraining and posttraining for lower-body muscular power (vertical-jump height, spike-jump height, and SBJ) and agility. Based on our results, it could be concluded that a preseason skill-based conditioning program does not offer a sufficient stimulus for volleyball players. Therefore, a general conditioning and hypertrophy training along with specific volleyball conditioning is necessary in the preseason period for the development of the lower-body strength, agility and speed performance in volleyball players.     

Trunk Muscle Activity Is Modified in Osteoporotic Vertebral Fracture and Thoracic Kyphosis with Potential Consequences for Vertebral Health

This study explored inter-relationships between vertebral fracture, thoracic kyphosis and trunk muscle control in elderly people with osteoporosis. Osteoporotic vertebral fractures are associated with increased risk of further vertebral fractures; but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Several factors may explain this association, including changes in postural alignment (thoracic kyphosis) and altered trunk muscle contraction patterns. Both factors may increase risk of further fracture because of increased vertebral loading and impaired balance, which may increase falls risk. This study compared postural adjustments in 24 individuals with osteoporosis with and without vertebral fracture and with varying degrees of thoracic kyphosis. Trunk muscle electromyographic activity (EMG) associated with voluntary arm movements was recorded and compared between individuals with and without vertebral fracture, and between those with low and high thoracic kyphosis. Overall, elderly participants in the study demonstrated co-contraction of the trunk flexor and extensor muscles during forwards arm movements, but those with vertebral fractures demonstrated a more pronounced co-contraction than those without fracture. Individuals with high thoracic kyphosis demonstrated more pronounced alternating flexor and extensor EMG bursts than those with less kyphosis. Co-contraction of trunk flexor and extensor muscles in older individuals contrasts the alternating bursts of antagonist muscle activity in previous studies of young individuals. This may have several consequences, including altered balance efficacy and the potential for increased compressive loads through the spine. Both of these outcomes may have consequences in a population with fragile vertebrae who are susceptible to fracture.     

Between-session reliability of opto-electronic motion capture in measuring sagittal posture and 3-D ranges of motion of the thoracolumbar spine

This study evaluated between-session reliability of opto-electronic motion capture to measure trunk posture and three-dimensional ranges of motion (ROM). Nineteen healthy participants aged 24–74 years underwent spine curvature, pelvic tilt and trunk ROM measurements on two separate occasions. Rigid four-marker clusters were attached to the skin overlying seven spinous processes, plus single markers on pelvis landmarks. Rigid body rotations of spine marker clusters were calculated to determine neutral posture and ROM in flexion, extension, total lateral bending (left-right) and total axial rotation (left-right). Segmental spine ROM values were in line with previous reports using opto-electronic motion capture. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated as measures of between-session reliability and measurement error, respectively. Retroreflective markers showed fair to excellent between-session reliability to measure thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and pelvic tilt (ICC = 0.82, 0.63, and 0.54, respectively). Thoracic and lumbar segments showed highest reliabilities in total axial rotation (ICC = 0.78) and flexion-extension (ICC = 0.77–0.79) ROM, respectively. Pelvic segment showed highest ICC values in flexion (ICC = 0.78) and total axial rotation (ICC = 0.81) trials. Furthermore, it was estimated that four or fewer repeated trials would provide good reliability for key ROM outcomes, including lumbar flexion, thoracic and lumbar lateral bending, and thoracic axial rotation. This demonstration of reliability is a necessary precursor to quantifying spine kinematics in clinical studies, including assessing changes due to clinical treatment or disease progression.