Sports Injuries Guidebook by Robert S. Gotlin

Author:Robert S. Gotlin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Human Kinetics

*The author would like to acknowledge the contribution of Daniel A. Brzusek to this chapter.

CHAPTER 10

Back Injuries

Joseph Lee, MD

Injuries to the back are prevalent among athletes. It is estimated that 9 percent of all sport-related injuries involve lower-back pain. In the United States, 50 to 80 percent of the general population will have at least one episode of lower-back pain in their lifetime. In professional sports, lower-back pain is the most common reason that athletes miss a game, match, or contest. Over 90 percent of incidents of back pain are self-resolving (i.e., they heal themselves), so the exact incidence of mid-back (thoracic) and lower-back (lumbar) spine disorders in athletes cannot be determined.

Pain related to the mid and lower back can be caused by muscles, ligaments, discs, nerves, joints, bone, or organs. The spinal column is made up of the spinal bones called vertebrae, which are separated by gel-filled discs known as intervertebral discs. Approximately 33 vertebrae (12 thoracic and 5 lumbar) and 23 intervertebral discs comprise the spinal column. Similar to a jelly donut, the intervertebral disc is made of a central gelatinous material called the nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by a fibrous band of connective tissue along the periphery called the annulus fibrosis. Discs function as shock absorbers for the spine and prevent direct bone-on-bone contact of the vertebrae. The spinal column is covered by various soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia.

In this chapter, we consider the major causes of back pain related to common injuries in athletes. To maximize performance and minimize injury, athletes should understand the basic diagnostic criteria and preliminary treatment options.

BACK INJURIES

Injury

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