Background: Reduced hip joint mobility increases lumbar spine stress, leading to disorders. However, the impact of thoracic spine mobility on lumbar spine disorders remains unclear, as do sport-specific differences in thoracic mobility.
Methods: Participants were male athletes aged ≥18 years (26 baseball, 50 rugby, 20 handball, 33 gymnastics). Thoracic spine flexion, extension, and total ROM were measured using a Spinal Mouse, and rotation ROM using an inclinometer. Study 1 examined thoracic ROM differences among sports. Study 2 classified rugby players and gymnasts based on presence or absence of low back pain (LBP) in the past 6 months and compared thoracic ROM.
Results: In Study 1, thoracic flexion ROM was lower in handball than in baseball and rugby. Thoracic extension ROM was greatest in gymnastics. Total thoracic ROM was lowest in handball and highest in gymnastics. Thoracic rotation was greater in baseball than rugby or handball on both sides. In gymnastics, dominant-side rotation was greater than rugby, and non-dominant-side rotation was greater than rugby and handball. In Study 2, rugby players with LBP had reduced thoracic flexion ROM, while gymnasts with LBP had reduced total thoracic ROM.
Conclusions: This study found that thoracic spine ROM differs by sport and is decreased in athletes with LBP, suggesting thoracic ROM is important for treating LBP in athletes.