Acute effects of two different tennis sessions on dorsal and lumbar spine of adult players

To evaluate dorsal and lumbar spine of expert and recreational tennis players before (Pre) and after (Post) two different training sessions. The sample consisted of 17 male tennis players, 9 expert and 8 recreational males, respectively (age 21.2 ± 1.6 years). We assessed back surface by rasterstereography Pre and Post two different training sessions both lasting 1.5 hours: a standard training and a specific over-shoulder shots training session, respectively. Lordotic and kiphotic angle, length, imbalance, inclination for trunk, pelvic torsion, left and right lateral deviation, surface rotation were measured. Tennis expertise (Expert vs Recreational) significantly affected surface rotation and right lateral deviation (P<0.05). Trunk length was affected by Intervention (Pre vs Post) (P<0.05). Left lateral deviation differed both for Type of Session (Session 1 vs Session 2) and Intervention (P<0.001, P<0.05). Expert tennis players had higher values on surface rotation and right lateral deviation, around or just above physiological values (0-5° and 0-5 mm, respectively). Type of Session significantly affected left lateral deviation, indicating that over-shoulder shots lead to a higher stress for the spine; time led to a shortening effect on trunk length. A single training session can induce acute modifications in some parameters of dorsal and lumbar spine of players.