The determination of the cross-sectional area of the lumbar erector spinae muscles of Olympic style weightlifting athletes by using MRI

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to measure the cross-sectional area of the lumbar erector spinae muscles from L3-L4 intervertebral disc levels by using magnetic resonance images of Olympic style weightlifting athletes (male n = 15, female n = 15) and sedentary individuals (male n = 15, female n = 15). METHODS: A 1.5 Tesla device was used for the magnetic resonance imaging process of all participants. The images were then executed in ImageJ software and the cross-sectional area was measured after the required synchronization steps were conducted. RESULTS: On the images taken from L3-L4 intervertebral disc levels, we observed that right-left cross-sectional area measurements of erector spinae muscles of sedentary males and females in the control groups were smaller than those of male and female athletes in Olympic style weightlifting. We also found a symmetry between right-left cross-sectional area measurements of groups of athletes. CONCLUSIONS: From the study findings, we might conclude that trainings of Olympic style weightlifting possess a hypertrophic effect on the cross-sectional area of erector spinae muscles of Olympic style weightlifting athletes.