{"id":10259,"date":"2022-10-24T06:00:35","date_gmt":"2022-10-24T05:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/?p=10259"},"modified":"2022-10-14T12:06:39","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T11:06:39","slug":"incidence-prevalence-and-risk-factors-for-low-back-pain-in-adolescent-athletes-a-systematic-review-and-meta-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bjsm\/2022\/10\/24\/incidence-prevalence-and-risk-factors-for-low-back-pain-in-adolescent-athletes-a-systematic-review-and-meta-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for low back pain in adolescent athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis."},"content":{"rendered":"

Key words: low back pain, adolescents, athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this blog, we will explain the results of our recent systematic review published in BJSM. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and morphological presentations of low back pain (LBP) in adolescent athletes (aged 10-19 years) to synthesise existing evidence (1).<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is this study important?<\/b><\/p>\n

Low back pain is common and is a leading cause of disability worldwide. It is prevalent in adolescents (age range 10-19 years), and while it usually resolves quickly, for some it has the potential to affect them into adulthood. This is significant, as a previous episode of LBP is a risk factor for a future episode. For some adolescent athletes, LBP can disrupt participation in sport, which can interrupt the development of a lifetime habit of exercise. It is important to understand LBP in adolescent athletes to prevent the potential negative consequences of LBP, such as reduced physical activity or sport participation and potential continued LBP later in life. A starting point to a good understanding of this condition is the epidemiology, specifically prevalence and associated risk factors. This study is important since it is the first synthesis of evidence on the incidence and prevalence of LBP in adolescent athletes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did the study go about this?<\/b><\/p>\n

We searched five databases for studies that investigated the incidence or prevalence of LBP in adolescent athletes. There were 80 studies included. We determined the incidence and prevalence reported in each study, and where possible, combined studies that examined the same time period using weighted means. Studies with more participants carried a greater weight. We also examined factors which could impact the incidence or prevalence reported and determined how much these factors affected the results using meta-regression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did the study find?<\/b><\/p>\n

We found that LBP was common in adolescent athletes. The incidence and prevalence had a wide range, which was mainly due to differences in the way LBP was defined in the studies, and the quality of the study methods for assessing LBP. In fact, in many studies, LBP was defined poorly or unclearly. Factors that could potentially increase risk of LBP in adolescent athletes were:<\/span><\/p>\n