QUADRICEPS FEMORIS ANGLE OF ELITE AND NON-ELITE ATHLETES IN OLYMPIC STYLE WEIGHTLIFTING

OBJECTIVE: To find out the quadriceps femoris angle (Q-angle) values of elite and non-elite athletes in Olympic style weightlifting. METHODS: This study included 22 male elite athletes that won medals in international Olympic style weightlifting championships and 22 male non-elite athletes who won medals in national Olympic style weightlifting championships. A goniometer was used to determine the angle of the quadriceps femoris muscle while the athletes were in supine position and the muscle was inactivated.  Anthropometric measurements of right-left thigh and lower leg length, right-left thigh and calf girth, and pelvic width of athletes were obtained. One repetition maximum of snatch, clean and jerk and leg strength of the athletes was recorded. To study demographic characteristics and some anthropometric values of lower extremity of the athletes, t-Test was conducted for independent groups. To compare anthropometric measurements of right-left lower extremity and right-left Q-angle values, paired sample t-Test was used. Right-left Q-angle values and relations among other variables were studied by Pearson correlation analysis. SPSS was used for all analyses. RESULTS: Mean age was 19.73±2.97 years and 18.73±1.55 years for of elite and non-elite athletes respectively. No significant difference was observed in demographic characteristics and in some anthropometric values of lower extremity of elite and non-elite athletes (p>0.05). However, right-left Q-angle values of non-elite athletes (10.14±1.55o and 10.14±1.52o, respectively) were higher than the right-left Q-angle values of elite athletes (8.32±1.39o and 8.32±1.32o, respectively) [p<0.003]. CONCLUSIONS: Olympic style weightlifting, which is maintained in elite level, affects the quadriceps femoris angle.