ABSTRACT Infrared thermography has become increasingly common in sports assessment and has grown a lot over the past few years. Our objective was to identify the assessment protocols and the skin temperature behavior of practitioners of endurance sports. A systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA recommendations between the 1st and the 31st of March 2020, at MEDLINE, LILACS, SCOPUS, SPORT Discus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Scielo, using combinations with 11 descriptors for “thermography” and 6 descriptors for “endurance training”. It was identified 24 different regions of interest evaluated region in endurance sports. The acclimatization time was respected in 75% of the selected studies, and the thermal images were acquired predominantly in three moments: before the test, immediately after the test, and 10 minutes after the test. It was observed that Tskin decreased in the initial moments and increased after exercise. It can be concluded that the regions of interest used were mostly the specific muscle recruited in each modality, with emphasis on the muscle groups of the lower limbs, and after this initial decrease in temperature, the thermal response is mainly dependent on the duration and intensity of exercise.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A dor lombar é a principal causa de incapacidade global e possui prevalência em mulheres, tendendo a aumentar após a menopausa. O presente estudo objetivou analisar as associações entre índice de massa corporal, força muscular, cinesiofobia, estradiol, incapacidade funcional e percepção de dor lombar em mulheres na pós-menopausa com dor lombar crônica. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 22 mulheres na pós-menopausa diagnosticadas com dor lombar crônica. A força abdominal e dos extensores da coluna foi avaliada por meio de testes isométricos. Os níveis séricos basais de estradiol foram analisados pelo método de quimiluminescência. A cinesiofobia, a percepção de dor e a incapacidade funcional lombar foram determinadas pela Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, escala analógica visual e Roland Morris Questionnaire, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: O teste de correlação de Spearman mostrou associações entre os níveis de cinesiofobia e os valores de massa corporal total (rho=-0,513; p=0,015) e os níveis de cinesiofobia e os valores de índice de massa corporal (rho=-0,576; p=0,005). Foi encontrada correlação entre os níveis de cinesiofobia e de percepção de incapacidade funcional lombar (rho=0,434; p=0,043). Não houve correlações significativas entre as variáveis força muscular, estradiol e percepção de dor. CONCLUSÃO: Mulheres na pós-menopausa com dor lombar crônica que apresentam maiores valores de massa corporal total e índice de massa corporal tendem a apresentar menores níveis de cinesiofobia. Existe relação direta entre o medo de se movimentar ou permanecer em uma posição específica e a percepção de funcionalidade e segurança da coluna lombar.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Low back pain is the main cause of global disability and is prevalent in women, tending to increase after menopause. The present study aimed to analyze the correlation between body mass index, muscle strength, kinesiophobia, estradiol, functional disability, and low back pain perception in postmenopausal women with chronic low back pain. METHODS: Twenty-two postmenopausal women with chronic low back pain were evaluated. Abdominal and lower back strength were assessed using isometric tests. Basal serum estradiol levels were analyzed using the chemiluminescence method. Kinesiophobia, low back pain perception, and low back functional disability were determined using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the visual analog scale, and the Roland Morris Questionnaire, respectively. RESULTS: The Spearman correlation test showed correlations between the levels of kinesiophobia and the value of body mass (rho= -0.513; p=0.015) and the levels of kinesiophobia and the values of body mass index (rho= -0.576; p=0.005). There was correlation between the levels of kinesiophobia and perception of lumbar functional disability (rho= 0.434; p=0.043). No significant correlations were found between the variables of muscle strength, estradiol, and low back pain perception. CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal women with low back pain who have higher body mass and body mass index values tend to present lower levels of kinesiophobia. There is a direct relationship between the fear of moving or maintaining a specific position and the perception of the functionality and safety of the lumbar spine.