INTERGENERATIONAL BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF JOINT ADAPTATIONS INDUCED BY REGULAR PLAYING BEACH FOOTBALL IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES OF BENIN

Beach soccer is a sport played by all generations and is an integral part of life in coastal communities in Benin. The unstable sand on which it is played imposes specific biomechanical constraints. Joint adaptations related to these constraints remain poorly studied in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to observe and compare changes in lower limb movements between three generations of Beninese beach soccer players. Methods. Seventy-four male beach soccer players, divided into three generational groups (18 young men (15-25 years); 18 adults (26-40 years); 14 veterans (41-60 years)), and 24 sedentary control subjects, were recruited in Seme, Fidjrosse, and Akpakpa. Ankle, knee, and hip ranges of motion were measured during standardized functional tasks using Kinovea video analysis. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlations (a = 0.05).