Chiropractic Sports and Low Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability globally (1), it affects many different aspects of daily life including many day to day functions and especially with children affecting their sporting activities and goals (2). Do you or a loved one experience low back pain? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.
 
“Low back pain is common in the young athlete population, with reports of 33-64% annual prevalence in field hockey and 64% in football” (3,4,5)


Low back pain may have long term consequences if left unattended to, and is found to be associated with other musculoskeletal complaints and neuromuscular impairments in the lower back area and pelvis (6,7,8). These impairments have been reported to predispose athletes to lower extremity injuries (9). Back pain history has been reported to decrease overall performance and is also reported to be associated with new changes seen in imaging studies in the lower back of young athletes (10,11).
 
In a recent research study, where they looked at 17 players from a sports club, the players were tested for flexibility and trunk extensor muscle endurance. The group that received sports chiropractic therapy showed significant improvement in flexibility of the lower back and a reduction in lower back pain and trunk extensor muscle endurance. (12)  So although this study is small and more work needs to be done it can be seen that chiropractic may help support young athletes with low back issues and may help with overall performance and function.
 
If you want to find out if chiropractic may help manage low back pain for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“Making sure that children are functioning optimally is vital for their overall development!”
 
 
1. Vos T, Barber RM, Bell B, Bertozzi-Villa A, Biryukov S, Bolliger I, Charlson F. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet. 2015;9995:743-800.
2. Froud R, Patterson S, Eldridge S, Seale C, Pincus T, Rajendran D, Fossum C, Underwood M. A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the impact of low back pain on people’s lives. BMC Musculoskeletal Disord. 2014;15:50.
3. Rossi M, Pasanen K, Kokko S, et al. Low back and neck and shoulder pain in members and non - members of adolescents' sports clubs: the Finnish Health Promoting Sports Club (FHPSC) study. BMC Musculoskel Dis. 2016;17(1):263. doi: 10.1186/s12891 -016 -1114 -8. 4. van Hilst J, Hilgersom NFJ, Kuilman MC, Kuijer, P Paul F M, Frings -Dresen MHW. Low back pain in young elite field hockey players, football players and speed skaters: Prevalence and risk factors. Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. 2015;28(1):67 -73.
5. Schmidt CP, Zwingenberger S, Walther A, et al. Prevalence of Low Back Pain in Adolescent Athletes: An Epidemiological Investigation. Int J Sports Med. 2014;35.
6. Hestbaek LDC, Leboeuf-Yde C, Kyvik KO, Manniche, C D M S. The Course of Low Back Pain from Adolescence to Adulthood: Eight-year Follow-up of 9600 Twins. Spine. 2006;31.
7. Ståhl M, El-Metwally A, Rimpelä A. Time trends in single versus concomitant neck and back pain in finnish adolescents: results from national cross-sectional surveys from 1991 to 2011. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2014;15: 296 .
8. Nguyen A, Shultz SJ, Schmitz RJ, Luecht RM, Perrin DH. A preliminary multifactorial approach describing the relationships among lower extremity alignment, hip muscle activation, and lower extremity joint excursion. J Athl Training. 2011;46(3):246.
9. Zazulak BT. Deficits in neuromuscular control of the trunk predict knee injury risk: a prospective biomechanical-epidemiologic study. Am J Sports Med. 2007;35(7):1123 -1130. doi:10.1177/0363546507301585.
10. Nadler SF, Moley P, Malanga GA, Rubbani M, Prybicien M, Feinberg JH. Functional deficits in athletes with a history of low back pain: a pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 2002;83(12):1753 -1758.
11. Kujala UM, Taimela S, Erkintalo M, Salminen JJ, Kaprio J. Low-back pain in adolescent athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;28.
12. Saad, M., Zaghloul, E., Alin, L. and LIVIU, M., 2020. Effect of sports chiropractic on the primary prevention of low back pain for track and field players. Ovidius University Annals, Physical Education and Sport/Science, Movement and Health Series, 20(2), pp.149-152.