Does elite swimming accelerate lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and increase low back pain? A cross-sectional comparison

Steffen Folkvardsen; Erland Magnussen; Jaro Karppinen; Juha Auvinen; Rasmus Hertzum-Larsen; Christian Wong; Tom Bendix

doi:10.1007/s00586-016-4642-x

Does elite swimming accelerate lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and increase low back pain? A cross-sectional comparison

Steffen Folkvardsen, Erland Magnussen, Jaro Karppinen, Juha Auvinen, Rasmus Hertzum-Larsen, Christian Wong, Tom Bendix

IKM

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

14 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose
The aim was to elucidate elite swimming’s possible influence on lumbar disc degeneration (DD) and low back pain (LBP).
Methods
Lumbar spine MRI was performed on a group of elite swimmers and compared to a matched Finnish population-based no-sport group.
Results
One hundred elite swimmers and 96 no-sport adults, mean age 18.7/20.8, respectively, participated. Overall, the two groups had similar prevalence of DD. Swimmers had more DD in the upper lumbar spine but tended to have less DD at the lowest level. Prevalence of bulges and disc herniations were similar, but swimmers had significantly more bulges at L4–5. The swimmers reported less LBP, although not significantly (N.S.). If degenerative findings were present, the association between them and LBP was stronger in the no-sport group.
Conclusion
Elite swimmers and controls had similar prevalence of DD and LBP, although the pattern of DD differed between the groups. In case of DD, swimmers reported less LBP, although N.S.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	European Spine Journal
Vol/bind	25
Udgave nummer	9
Sider (fra-til)	2849-55
Antal sider	7
ISSN	0940-6719
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4642-x
Status	Udgivet - sep. 2016

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1007/s00586-016-4642-x

Citationsformater

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title = "Does elite swimming accelerate lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and increase low back pain? A cross-sectional comparison",

abstract = "PURPOSE: The aim was to elucidate elite swimming's possible influence on lumbar disc degeneration (DD) and low back pain (LBP).METHODS: Lumbar spine MRI was performed on a group of elite swimmers and compared to a matched Finnish population-based no-sport group.RESULTS: One hundred elite swimmers and 96 no-sport adults, mean age 18.7/20.8, respectively, participated. Overall, the two groups had similar prevalence of DD. Swimmers had more DD in the upper lumbar spine but tended to have less DD at the lowest level. Prevalence of bulges and disc herniations were similar, but swimmers had significantly more bulges at L4-5. The swimmers reported less LBP, although not significantly (N.S.). If degenerative findings were present, the association between them and LBP was stronger in the no-sport group.CONCLUSION: Elite swimmers and controls had similar prevalence of DD and LBP, although the pattern of DD differed between the groups. In case of DD, swimmers reported less LBP, although N.S.",

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T1 - Does elite swimming accelerate lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and increase low back pain? A cross-sectional comparison

AU - Folkvardsen, Steffen

AU - Magnussen, Erland

AU - Karppinen, Jaro

AU - Auvinen, Juha

AU - Hertzum-Larsen, Rasmus

AU - Wong, Christian

AU - Bendix, Tom

PY - 2016/9

Y1 - 2016/9

N2 - PURPOSE: The aim was to elucidate elite swimming's possible influence on lumbar disc degeneration (DD) and low back pain (LBP).METHODS: Lumbar spine MRI was performed on a group of elite swimmers and compared to a matched Finnish population-based no-sport group.RESULTS: One hundred elite swimmers and 96 no-sport adults, mean age 18.7/20.8, respectively, participated. Overall, the two groups had similar prevalence of DD. Swimmers had more DD in the upper lumbar spine but tended to have less DD at the lowest level. Prevalence of bulges and disc herniations were similar, but swimmers had significantly more bulges at L4-5. The swimmers reported less LBP, although not significantly (N.S.). If degenerative findings were present, the association between them and LBP was stronger in the no-sport group.CONCLUSION: Elite swimmers and controls had similar prevalence of DD and LBP, although the pattern of DD differed between the groups. In case of DD, swimmers reported less LBP, although N.S.

AB - PURPOSE: The aim was to elucidate elite swimming's possible influence on lumbar disc degeneration (DD) and low back pain (LBP).METHODS: Lumbar spine MRI was performed on a group of elite swimmers and compared to a matched Finnish population-based no-sport group.RESULTS: One hundred elite swimmers and 96 no-sport adults, mean age 18.7/20.8, respectively, participated. Overall, the two groups had similar prevalence of DD. Swimmers had more DD in the upper lumbar spine but tended to have less DD at the lowest level. Prevalence of bulges and disc herniations were similar, but swimmers had significantly more bulges at L4-5. The swimmers reported less LBP, although not significantly (N.S.). If degenerative findings were present, the association between them and LBP was stronger in the no-sport group.CONCLUSION: Elite swimmers and controls had similar prevalence of DD and LBP, although the pattern of DD differed between the groups. In case of DD, swimmers reported less LBP, although N.S.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1007/s00586-016-4642-x

DO - 10.1007/s00586-016-4642-x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27289544

SN - 0940-6719

VL - 25

SP - 2849

EP - 2855

JO - European Spine Journal

JF - European Spine Journal

IS - 9

ER -