Witwit Wisam A, Hebelka Hanna, Swärd Aminoff Anna, Abrahamson Josefin, Todd Carl, Baranto Adad
Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Open Access J Sports Med. 2022 Aug 18;13:69-76. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S366548. eCollection 2022.
Young athletes are at increasing risk for spinal column injuries due to overloading the spine with excessive sports activities, with potential development of complications later in life.
The purpose of this 2-year follow-up study of young elite skiers and non-athletes was to investigate any potential change in the thoraco-lumbar findings on MRI and to outline any change in back pain prevalence with continuing sporting activity and age.
Longitudinal cross-sectional study.
MRI of the thoraco-lumbar spine was performed on 30 skiers (mean age 20 years, female 43%) and 16 non-athletes (mean age 19, female 75%), available for the 2-year follow-up. The intervertebral discs were evaluated for signal, height, bulge/herniation, and additionally according to Pfirrmann classification, and the endplates were graded according to endplate defect score. Any of the following disc findings was defined as disc degenerative change: reduced signal, reduced height, bulge, or herniation. All participants answered a specific back pain questionnaire.
No significant difference in spinal column abnormalities, nor back pain, was found between baseline and 2-year follow-up in neither skiers nor controls. There was significantly higher prevalence of disc degenerative changes in skiers (73%) than in non-athletes (44%, =0.05). Skiers (63%) had significantly more Pfirrmann grade ≥3 discs compared to non-athletes (25%) (=0.03). There was no significant difference in number of endplates with score ≥4 between skiers and non-athletes (50% vs 38%, =0.40) nor in lifetime prevalence of back pain between skiers (46%) and non-athletes (40%).
There was no significant change over time of the spinal column MRI abnormalities, nor back pain prevalence, during a 2-year follow-up of skiers and non-athletes. Young skiers had significantly higher prevalence of spine abnormalities compared with non-athletes. There was no significant difference of the back pain lifetime prevalence in skiers compared with non-athletes.
年轻运动员因过度的体育活动使脊柱负荷过重，脊柱损伤风险日益增加，后期可能出现并发症。
这项针对年轻精英滑雪运动员和非运动员的为期两年的随访研究，旨在调查MRI上胸腰椎检查结果的任何潜在变化，并概述随着持续的体育活动和年龄增长，背痛患病率的任何变化。
纵向横断面研究。
对30名滑雪运动员（平均年龄20岁，女性占43%）和16名非运动员（平均年龄19岁，女性占75%）进行了胸腰椎MRI检查，这些人可参与为期两年的随访。对椎间盘的信号、高度、膨出/突出情况进行评估，并根据Pfirrmann分类法进行额外评估，终板根据终板缺陷评分进行分级。以下任何椎间盘检查结果均被定义为椎间盘退变改变：信号降低、高度降低、膨出或突出。所有参与者都回答了一份特定的背痛问卷。
在滑雪运动员和对照组中，基线和两年随访期间，脊柱异常和背痛均无显著差异。滑雪运动员中椎间盘退变改变的患病率（73%）显著高于非运动员（44%，P = 0.05）。与非运动员（25%）相比，滑雪运动员（63%）有更多Pfirrmann分级≥3的椎间盘（P = 0.03）。滑雪运动员和非运动员中终板评分≥4的数量没有显著差异（50%对38%，P = 0.40），滑雪运动员（46%）和非运动员（40%）的背痛终生患病率也没有显著差异。
在对滑雪运动员和非运动员进行的为期两年的随访中，脊柱MRI异常和背痛患病率均未随时间发生显著变化。与非运动员相比，年轻滑雪运动员脊柱异常的患病率显著更高。滑雪运动员和非运动员的背痛终生患病率没有显著差异。
