Interinnominate motion and symmetry: comparison between gymnasts and nongymnasts

Some clinical approaches to the treatment of low back pain evaluate and treat observed asymmetries of pelvic posture and motion. Scientific evidence suggests the motion available between the innominate bones is small and variable in nature. The purposes of this investigation were 1) to determine if interinnominate motion of subjects without low back pain was symmetrical in reciprocal test posture combinations, 2) to assess innominate bone symmetry in standing, and 3) to determine if a difference in the magnitude of interinnominate motion was present between a subject group which performs more frequent flexibility activities compared with a subject group representing the general population. Thirty-four subjects (eight male gymnasts, nine female gymnasts, eight male nongymnasts, and nine female nongymnasts) were evaluated in standing and three other reciprocal postures (modified standing, modified sitting, and half-kneeling). In each posture, the Metrecom Skeletal Analysis System was used to obtain coordinates for the anterior and posterior iliac spines. Projection angles were used to determine the relative positions of the right and left innominate bones. Results suggest that stand to right modified standing and stand to left modified standing oblique sagittal interinnominate composite motions were symmetrical, stand to right modified sitting and stand to left modified sitting oblique sagittal interinnominate composite motions were asymmetrical, and stand to right half-kneel and stand to left half-kneel oblique sagittal interinnominate composite motions' symmetrical properties were mixed depending on the group. Gymnasts as a group were found to have asymmetrically positioned innominate bones while nongymnasts as a group had symmetrically positioned innominate bones.