LOW-BACK-PAIN IN COLLEGE ATHLETES - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY CORRELATING LOWER-EXTREMITY OVERUSE OR ACQUIRED LIGAMENTOUS LAXITY WITH LOW-BACK-PAIN

Study Design. A prospective evaluation of the incidence of low back pa in in college athletes was undertaken. Objectives. To evaluate prospec tively leg length discrepancy, hip flexor tightness, and lower extremi ty acquired laxity or overuse as predictive factors for low back pain in college athletes. Summary of Background Data. A pilot study found a n association between low back pain and the factors to be studied. Sev eral allusions to the kinetic chain theory appear in the literature, b ut little prospective research has been done in examining the effects of lower extremity involvement on the back. Methods. Two-hundred fifty -seven college athletes representing nine varsity sports were screened during a preseason sports physical examination. Measures of flexibili ty, ligamentous stability, leg length discrepancy, and overuse syndrom es were recorded. Athletes were observed throughout the ensuing year f or low back pain requiring treatment by the athletic trainer. Those at hletes with low back pain as the result of direct trauma to the region were excluded from the data. Results. Twenty-four athletes (9.3%) rec eived treatment for low back pain. Thirteen of 87 women (15%) compared with 11 of 170 men (6%) required treatment for low back pain (P = 0.0 48). Of 57 athletes with lower extremity acquired laxity or overuse, l ow back pain developed in 14(P < 0.001). Conclusions. Athletes with lo wer extremity acquired ligamentous laxity or overuse may be at risk fo r the development of noncontact low back pain during athletic competit ion. Female athletes with lower extremity involvement appeared to have a higher incidence of low back pain treatment compared with their mal e counterparts. Inflexibility of the lower extremities or leg length d iscrepancy were not associated with future low back pain treatment.