Low back pain in young elite field hockey players,football players and speed skaters: Prevalence and risk factors

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Low back pain (LBP) hampers performance and experiencing an episode of LBP is strongly associated with recurrent episodes.

OBJECTIVE:

The prevalence of LBP and associated risk factors among young elite athletes in popular sports in the Netherlands were studied.

METHODS:

A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was performed among 236 young elite athletes aged between 14–25 years in field hockey, football and speed skating.

RESULTS:

One hundred and eighty one ( $\mathit{n}=181$ ) athletes responded (response rate 77%). The overall, 12-month prevalence of LBP for the three sports was 60%: field hockey 56%, football 64% and speed skating 60%. Satisfaction with their own performance (OR=0.5 95%CI:0.3–0.9) and with the coaching staff (OR=0.5, 95%CI:0.4–0.8) were associated with a lower occurrence of LBP in field hockey. No sport-related risk factors were found in football. In speed skating more training hours (OR=1.1, 95%CI:1.0–1.2), performance of Pilates (OR=4.1, 95%CI:1.1–15.7) and more time spent on warming up (OR=1.1, 95%CI:1.0–1.1) were associated with the occurrence of LBP.

CONCLUSIONS:

Prevalence of LBP among young elite athletes compared to the general age-related population was 3–5 times higher. Sport-related risk factors of LBP were found in field hockey and in speed skating.