Factors associated with low back pain in elite high school volleyball players.
Yasuaki Mizoguchi, Kiyokazu Akasaka, Takahiro Otsudo and 1 others
PMID 31528008WHAT IT FOUND
Previous ankle injury and more years of playing were linked to low back pain in 123 high school volleyball players.
Of 59 players with back pain, 35 felt performance decline, and 21 consulted a doctor and 21 told a coach.
Key findings
01Of 123 players, 59 (48.0%) reported low back pain during volleyball in the previous year.
02In the adjusted analysis, previous-year ankle injury was associated with low back pain (odds ratio 4.06), and years of volleyball experience was associated with low back pain (odds ratio 1.29).
03Among 59 players with low back pain, 35 reported subjective performance degradation, 21 consulted a doctor, 21 reported it to a coach, and all 59 missed practice.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that ankle injury or years of playing caused low back pain. Low back pain and injuries were self-reported, and no medical diagnosis or tissue origin was established. The questionnaire did not define injury, so answers depended on each player's own judgment. Participants were a convenience sample from eight public high schools in Saitama, Japan, so results may not apply to all volleyball players. The sample included 123 players, below the 128 target stated for adequate power. Neurological symptoms and pain associated with menstruation were excluded from the low back pain definition by self-report, which may affect how pain was classified.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that ankle injury or years of playing cause low back pain. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study, and it reported associations only. It did not diagnose the tissue origin of pain or test whether addressing these factors prevents or treats low back pain.