Back pain in elite sports

  • \(\bf Objectives\) To establish the prevalence of back pain in German elite athletes; examine the influence of age, sex, sports discipline and training volume; and compare elite athletes with a physically active control group. \(\bf Methods\) A standardized and validated online back pain questionnaire was sent by the German Olympic Sports Confederation to approximately 4,000 German national and international elite athletes, and a control group of 253 physically active but non-elite sports students. \(\bf Results\) We received responses from 1,114 elite athletes (46.5% male and 53.1% female, mean age 20.9 years \(\pm\) 4.8 years, mean height 176.5 \(\pm\) 11.5 cm, mean weight 71.0 \(\pm\) 10.3 kg) and 166 physically active sports students (74.7% male and 24.1 female, mean age 21.2 \(\pm\) 2.0 years, mean height 180.0 \(\pm\) 8.0 cm, mean weight 74.0 \(\pm\) 14.5 kg). In elite athletes, the lifetime prevalence of back pain was 88.5%, the 12-month prevalence was 81.1%, the 3-month prevalence was 68.3% and the point prevalence was 49.0%, compared with 80.7%, 69.9%, 59.0% and 42.8%, respectively in the control group. The lifetime, 12-month and 3-month prevalences in elite athletes were significantly higher than in the control group. Regarding the individual sports disciplines, the prevalence of back pain was significantly higher in elite rowers, dancers, fencers, gymnasts, track and field athletes, figure skaters and marksmen, and those who play underwater rugby, water polo, basketball, hockey and ice hockey compared with the control group. The prevalence of back pain was significantly lower in elite triathletes. \(\bf Conclusions\) Back pain is a common complaint in German elite athletes. Low back pain seems to be a problem in both elite athletes and physically active controls. A high training volume in elite athletes and a low training volume in physically active individuals might increase prevalence rates. Our findings indicate the necessity for specific prevention programs, especially in high-risk sports. Further research should investigate the optimal dose-effect relationship of sporting activity for the general population to prevent back pain.

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Metadaten
Author:Daniela FettGND, Katharina TrompeterGND, Petra PlatenORCiDGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-59210
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180130
Parent Title (English):PLoS one
Subtitle (English):a cross-sectional study on 1114 athletes
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2018/07/12
Date of first Publication:2017/06/29
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Tag:Open Access Fonds
Volume:12
Issue:6
First Page:e0180130-1
Last Page:e0180130-17
Note:
Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Note:
PLoS ONE, Bd. 12.2017, H. 6, Artikelnummer e0180130
Institutes/Facilities:Lehrstuhl für Sportmedizin und Sporternährung
Dewey Decimal Classification:Künste und Unterhaltung / Sport
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
faculties:Fakultät für Sportwissenschaft
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International