High performance sports are characterized by determining specific physical standards that overcome the geopolitical, social and cultural barriers. These peculiarities are also translated in posture alterations that are associated to the efficiency of sport gesture, and at long-term, developing chronic disease. The objective of the present study was to describe the postural profile of athletes who participate in muscular power competitions, and to identify the kinesiological processes responsible for the main body alterations. The group was composed of 15 male athletes, who participated in tests of muscular power. The protocol for data collecting was elaborated based on the proposal of Kendall for the physical observational exam, and Souchard for the postural analysis by muscular chain. All the evaluations were performed during Winnipeg 99' Pan American Games. The results showed that the ankle valgus (67%) was the most common situation; the internal rotation of the hip to the right side (60%), followed by the highest opposite side (47%). This may be related with the run in curve; the hip flexor muscle and knee flexor muscle were observed in the 73% of the cases; this alteration contributes to the low back pain (73%) and, in consequence, it unchains compensatory mechanism of retraction of the posterior muscular chain, causing the thoracic alteration (53%) and the forefront head (73%).
Injuries; Posture; Sports
