Background A previous study [Zemková E et al. 2019] identified between-side differences in trunk rotational power in athletes trained in asymmetric sports. However, the question remains whether velocity of trunk rotations can also be considered specific to their asymmetric loading as one of the risk factors for low back disorders.

Objective This study compares velocity of trunk rotations on the dominant and non-dominant side in golfers, ice hockey players, tennis players, and age-matched controls.

Design Controlled laboratory study.

Setting Research laboratory.

Participants Groups of 17 golfers (age 23.3±3.1 y, height 177.3±8.1 cm, body mass 85.6±10.7 kg), 17 ice-hockey players (age 22.4±2.7 y, height 182.6±7.3 cm, body mass 88.0±9.5 kg), 21 tennis players (age 20.9±2.9 y, height 179.9±5.9 cm, body mass 81.0±8.6 kg), and 39 controls (age 21.8±2.4 y, height 177.6±7.4 cm, body mass 79.6±11.1 kg) participated in the study.

Assessment Basic biomechanical parameters during trunk rotations with different weights (1, 5.5, 10.5, 15.5 and 20 kg) were measured using the FiTRO Torso Premium.

Main Outcome Measurements Peak velocity and mean velocity in the acceleration phase of trunk rotations.

Results Mean velocity of trunk rotations was significantly higher on the dominant than non-dominant side at weights of 1kg (11.9%, p=0.033), 5.5kg (13.3%, p=0.025), 10.5kg (13.7%, p=0.021), 15.5kg (14.1%, p=0.017), and 20kg (15.4%, p=0.011) in ice-hockey players, at 1kg (11.1%, p=0.043), 5.5kg (11.5%, p=0.039), 10.5kg (12.9%, p=0.030), and 15.5kg (13.6%, p=0.025) in tennis players, and at 1kg (15.4%, p=0.015), 5.5kg (16.5%, p=0.009) and 10.5kg (16.6%, p=0.008) in golfers. However, its values at these weights did not differ significantly (<10%) in the control group. Similar trend was observed for peak velocity of trunk rotations.

Conclusions Though significant between-side differences in trunk rotational velocity in athletes trained in asymmetric sports may help to identify those at risk of a low back pain, a causal relationship between these factors have yet to be investigated.