A relação entre os músculos dos tendões

The Relationship Between Hamstring Muscle

Extensibility and Spinal Postures Varies

With the Degree of Knee Extension

José M. Muyor,1 Pedro A. López-Miñarro,2 and Fernando Alacid3

1University of Almería; 2University of Murcia; 3Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia

The aim was to determine the relationship between hamstring muscle extensibility and sagittal spinal curvatures

and pelvic tilt in cyclists while adopting several postures. A total of 75 male cyclists were recruited for

this study (34.79 ± 9.46 years). Thoracic and lumbar spine and pelvic tilt were randomly measured using a

Spinal Mouse. Hamstring muscle extensibility was determined in both legs by a passive knee extension test.

Low relationships were found between hamstring muscle extensibility and spinal parameters (thoracic and

lumbar curvature, and pelvic tilt) in standing, slumped sitting, and on the bicycle (r = .19; P > .05). Significant

but low relationships were found in maximal trunk flexion with knees flexed (r = .29; P < .05). In addition,

in the sit-and-reach test, low and statistically significant relationships were found between hamstring muscle

extensibility for thoracic spine (r = –.23; P = .01) and (r = .37; P = .001) for pelvic tilt. In conclusion, hamstring

muscle extensibility has a significant relationship in maximal trunk flexion postures with knees flexed

and extended, but there are no relationships while standing or on the bicycle postures.

Keywords: spinal curvatures, injury, flexibility, sit-and-reach, cycling.

Sagittal spinal morphology is characterized by

several physiological curvatures (cervical lordosis, thoracic

kyphosis, lumbar lordosis) and a sacral structure