Low-back Pain and the Athlete

Abstract

Abstract
Low-back pain is a leading cause of debilitating illness in the recreational and elite athlete, with an incidence of 1–30%. From a biomechanical viewpoint, the lumbar spine is subject to high loads during athletic participation—sometimes as high as 15 times that of bodyweight. These forces place the athlete’s back at increased risk for injury and degeneration. For clinicians who evaluate athletes, an understanding of the causes of low-back pain and a systematic clinical approach are necessary to ensure prompt diagnosis. The purpose of this article is to discuss common causes of low-back pain in athletes, treatment options, and expected outcomes for these conditions based on recommendations in the spine literature.

Keywords
Low-back pain, athlete, diagnosis, treatment, review

Disclosure: Michael F Duffy, MD, and Jessica Shellock, MD, have no conflicts of interest to declare. Scott L Blumenthal, MD, has received royalties from DePuy Spine, holds stock or stock options in Spinal Motion, Fziomed, and Impliant, and acts as a consultant to DePuy Spine, Fziomed, and Orthofix.
Received: June 15, 2009 Accepted: June 29, 2009
Correspondence: Michael F Duffy, MD, Texas Back Institute, 6020 West Parker Rd, Suite 200, Plano, TX 75093. E: czapata@texasback.com