Evaluation of Athletes' Gender-Related Postural Differences

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Sex-based differences in athletic posture are recognized but under-characterized across sports.
• Understanding these variations is crucial for injury prevention and performance optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare static postural characteristics between matched female and male athletes across various sports branches.
• To identify specific spinal and pelvic differences influencing overall posture.

Main Methods:

• 172 athletes (86 female, 86 male) were paired by age, sporting experience, and sport.
• Static posture analysis was conducted using the DIERS formetric 4D device.
• Measurements included trunk length, pelvic obliquity, spinal curvatures (kyphosis, lordosis), and rotational parameters.

Main Results:

• Females exhibited wider sacrums, more oblique and anteriorly tilted pelves, greater pelvic inclination, and larger kyphosis and lordosis angles.
• Males had longer trunk lengths and greater pelvic torsion; their lumbar lordosis angles were below normal limits.
• Sagittal and coronal imbalances, pelvic rotation, vertebral rotation, and trunk torsion were comparable between sexes.

Conclusions:

• Female athletes generally display a more balanced spinal posture compared to male athletes.
• While females had larger spinal curves, they remained within normal ranges, unlike males' lower lordosis.
• These sex-specific postural patterns may inform targeted training and injury mitigation strategies.