Prevalence of back pain in a group of elite athletes exposed to repetitive overhead activity

Abstract

BackgroundThe prevalence of back pain in athletes has been investigated in several studies, but there are still under- or uninvestigated sports discipline like sports exposed to repetitive overhead activity. Elite athletes spend much time in training and competition and, because of the nature of their disciplines, subject their bodies to a great deal of mechanical strain, which puts a high level of stress on their musculoskeletal systems. From this it is hypothesized that elite athletes who engage in repetitive overhead motions experience a higher strain on their spine and thus possibly a higher prevalence of back pain compared with an active control group.ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of back pain and the exact location of pain in a cohort of elite athletes with repetitive overhead activity and in a control group of physically active sport students. Additionally, to examine different characteristics of pain, and to evaluate the influence of confounders on back pain.MethodsA standardized and validated online back pain questionnaire was sent by the German Olympic Sports Confederation to German national and international elite athletes, and a control group of physically active but non-elite sports students.ResultsThe final sample comprised 181 elite athletes of the sports disciplines badminton, beach volleyball, handball, tennis and volleyball and 166 physically active controls. In elite athletes, lifetime prevalence of back pain was 85%, 12-month prevalence was 75%, 3-month prevalence was 58% and point prevalence was 38%; for the physically active control group, these prevalences were 81%, 70%, 59% and 43%, respectively. There was no significant group difference in prevalence over all time periods. The lower back was the main location of back pain in elite athletes across all disciplines and in controls; additionally a distinct problem of upper back pain was found among volleyball players.ConclusionDespite the high mechanical load inherent in the sport disciplines included in this study, the elite athletes who engaged in repetitive overhead activities did not suffer more from back pain than the physically active controls. This suggests that other mechanisms may be influencing back pain prevalences in a positive way in these athletes. Furthermore, these disciplines may practice preventive factors for back pain that outweigh their detrimental factors. Therefore, we posit that extensive prevention work is already being implemented in these sports and that there are additional individual protection factors in play. More research is required to explore these suppositions, and should include investigations into which preventive training programs are being used. Nevertheless, in volleyball particularly, a focus on stabilization/preventive training should be applied to the upper back and neck.

Is There a Relationship Between Workload and Occurrence of Back Pain and Back Injuries in Athletes?

“…The level of prevalence depends on the type of research design used. While in prospective studies the prevalence of low back pain was evident in 9–20% of the cases ( Bahr and Reeser, 2003 ; Jacobson and Tegner, 2007 ; Pasanen et al, 2008 ; Bere et al, 2015 ; Aasheim et al, 2018 ) or 2.25−0.4/1000 training and match hours ( Bacon and Mauger, 2017 ; Bowen et al, 2017 ), in the retrospective studies it occurred in 15–97% of the cases depending on time to occurrence of back problems (point, 1-week, 1-, 3-, 12-month, life time prevalence) ( Hoskins et al, 2009 ; Haydt et al, 2012 ; Külling et al, 2014 ; Leppänen et al, 2015 ; Tunås et al, 2015 ; Haag et al, 2016 ; Farahbakhsh et al, 2018 ; Fett et al, 2019 ).…”

“…The highest prevalence of low back pain was identified in field hockey, floorball, rugby, and beach volleyball ( Nosco et al, 1999 ; Pasanen et al, 2008 ; Hoskins et al, 2009 ; Haydt et al, 2012 ; Külling et al, 2014 ; Fett et al, 2019 ). Among pain caused by overuse, low back pain was the most often reported pain with an incidence of 20–86% depending on the age category, sex, performance level, and the time of occurrence.…”

Knowledge and it’s Mental Awareness Toward the Incidence of Sports Injuries Among Participants of Student’s Football Team

“…Stress can also be interpreted as the inability to overcome the threats faced by the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual human beings, which at one time can affect the physical health of the human being. Thus, it can be interpreted that stress is a condition that puts pressure on an individual, so that the individual is unable to cope with threats or stressful conditions on him [9,10]. Stress is not negative at all.…”

Entscheidungskriterien für die Reha bei lumbalen Rückenbeschwerden

“…86 % der Bevölkerung mindestens einmal im Leben auf [24]. Sportler werden durch Rückenbeschwerden in der Ausübung ihrer Sportart eingeschränkt und weisen Prävalenzzahlen von 56,3-100 % (Lebenszeit), 57,1-95,7 % (12 Monate), 33,3-90 % (3 Monate) und 27,8-70 % (Punkt) auf [7] [9]. Diese Schwankungen beruhen unter anderem auf den jeweiligen Anforderungsprofilen der einzelnen Sportarten mit Schwerpunkten beispielsweise auf Überkopfsportarten, Belastungen primär der unteren Extremität, Schnellkraft, Ausdauer, Maximalkraft, Rumpfrotation etc.…”