Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain in retired Great Britain’s Olympians: A cross-sectional study

Dale J. Cooper; Mark E. Batt; Mary S O'Hanlon; Debbie Palmer

doi:10.1002/tsm2.284

Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain in retired Great Britain’s Olympians: A cross-sectional study

Dale J. Cooper^*, Mark E. Batt, Mary S O'Hanlon, Debbie Palmer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study determined the point prevalence and factors associated with low back pain (LBP) in retired Great Britain’s (GB) Olympians. Six hundred and thirteen retired athletes completed a cross-sectional survey. Prevalence of LBP (pain on most days in the past 4-weeks) was 32.1%. LBP was associated with a prior significant low back injury [aOR 2.51; 95% CI, 1.60- 3.92, p<0.001] and a change from a healthy to a high BMI [aOR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.46-3.34, p<0.001]. Fewer cases of LBP were reported in those with a moderate training volume [aOR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.48, p<0.001] and those aged 75 years and older [aOR 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.91, p=0.022]. Chronic LBP (symptoms past > 12-weeks) was associated with a higher pain severity [aOR 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.37. p=0.031], widespread pain [aOR 2.62; 95% CI, 1.15-5.99, p=0.022], anxiety (aOR 2.99; 95% CI, 1.14-7.80, p=0.025) and depression [aOR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.08-5.63, p=0.031]. LBP is common in retired GB Olympians. Chronic symptoms were associated with features of central sensitization and imply that different pain mechanisms are involved in those with persistent symptoms. Strategies to promote health among retired athletes should consider the importance of psychological factors in the management of back pain.

Original language	English
Journal	Translational Sports Medicine
Early online date	6 Oct 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/tsm2.284
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 6 Oct 2021

Keywords

prevention
spine
pain
prevalence
risk factor
athlete
health
injury
musculoskeletal system

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CooperEtal2021TSMPrevalenceandFactorsAssociatedwithLowBackPain
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Cooper, DJ, Batt, ME, O’Hanlon, MS, Palmer, D. Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain in retired Great Britain’s Olympians: A cross-sectional study. Transl Sports Med. 2021; 00: 1– 10. doi:10.1002/tsm2.284, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/tsm2.284. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
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title = "Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain in retired Great Britain{\textquoteright}s Olympians: A cross-sectional study",

abstract = "This study determined the point prevalence and factors associated with low back pain (LBP) in retired Great Britain{\textquoteright}s (GB) Olympians. Six hundred and thirteen retired athletes completed a cross-sectional survey. Prevalence of LBP (pain on most days in the past 4-weeks) was 32.1%. LBP was associated with a prior significant low back injury [aOR 2.51; 95% CI, 1.60- 3.92, p<0.001] and a change from a healthy to a high BMI [aOR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.46-3.34, p<0.001]. Fewer cases of LBP were reported in those with a moderate training volume [aOR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.48, p<0.001] and those aged 75 years and older [aOR 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.91, p=0.022]. Chronic LBP (symptoms past > 12-weeks) was associated with a higher pain severity [aOR 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.37. p=0.031], widespread pain [aOR 2.62; 95% CI, 1.15-5.99, p=0.022], anxiety (aOR 2.99; 95% CI, 1.14-7.80, p=0.025) and depression [aOR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.08-5.63, p=0.031]. LBP is common in retired GB Olympians. Chronic symptoms were associated with features of central sensitization and imply that different pain mechanisms are involved in those with persistent symptoms. Strategies to promote health among retired athletes should consider the importance of psychological factors in the management of back pain.",

keywords = "prevention, spine, pain, prevalence, risk factor, athlete, health, injury, musculoskeletal system",

author = "Cooper, {Dale J.} and Batt, {Mark E.} and O'Hanlon, {Mary S} and Debbie Palmer",

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AU - Batt, Mark E.

AU - O'Hanlon, Mary S

AU - Palmer, Debbie

PY - 2021/10/6

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N2 - This study determined the point prevalence and factors associated with low back pain (LBP) in retired Great Britain’s (GB) Olympians. Six hundred and thirteen retired athletes completed a cross-sectional survey. Prevalence of LBP (pain on most days in the past 4-weeks) was 32.1%. LBP was associated with a prior significant low back injury [aOR 2.51; 95% CI, 1.60- 3.92, p<0.001] and a change from a healthy to a high BMI [aOR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.46-3.34, p<0.001]. Fewer cases of LBP were reported in those with a moderate training volume [aOR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.48, p<0.001] and those aged 75 years and older [aOR 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.91, p=0.022]. Chronic LBP (symptoms past > 12-weeks) was associated with a higher pain severity [aOR 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.37. p=0.031], widespread pain [aOR 2.62; 95% CI, 1.15-5.99, p=0.022], anxiety (aOR 2.99; 95% CI, 1.14-7.80, p=0.025) and depression [aOR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.08-5.63, p=0.031]. LBP is common in retired GB Olympians. Chronic symptoms were associated with features of central sensitization and imply that different pain mechanisms are involved in those with persistent symptoms. Strategies to promote health among retired athletes should consider the importance of psychological factors in the management of back pain.

AB - This study determined the point prevalence and factors associated with low back pain (LBP) in retired Great Britain’s (GB) Olympians. Six hundred and thirteen retired athletes completed a cross-sectional survey. Prevalence of LBP (pain on most days in the past 4-weeks) was 32.1%. LBP was associated with a prior significant low back injury [aOR 2.51; 95% CI, 1.60- 3.92, p<0.001] and a change from a healthy to a high BMI [aOR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.46-3.34, p<0.001]. Fewer cases of LBP were reported in those with a moderate training volume [aOR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.48, p<0.001] and those aged 75 years and older [aOR 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.91, p=0.022]. Chronic LBP (symptoms past > 12-weeks) was associated with a higher pain severity [aOR 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.37. p=0.031], widespread pain [aOR 2.62; 95% CI, 1.15-5.99, p=0.022], anxiety (aOR 2.99; 95% CI, 1.14-7.80, p=0.025) and depression [aOR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.08-5.63, p=0.031]. LBP is common in retired GB Olympians. Chronic symptoms were associated with features of central sensitization and imply that different pain mechanisms are involved in those with persistent symptoms. Strategies to promote health among retired athletes should consider the importance of psychological factors in the management of back pain.

KW - prevention

KW - spine

KW - pain

KW - prevalence

KW - risk factor

KW - athlete

KW - health

KW - injury

KW - musculoskeletal system

U2 - 10.1002/tsm2.284

DO - 10.1002/tsm2.284

M3 - Article

JO - Translational Sports Medicine

JF - Translational Sports Medicine

SN - 2573-8488

ER -

Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain in retired Great Britain’s Olympians: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Keywords

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