Lumbar Spine Injuries in Recreational Athletes: A Review.

Abstract

Back pain that is associated with lumbar spine pathology is a growing issue in the athlete population. As an aging population continues to remain active, it is essential for primary care physicians, general orthopaedic surgeons, and spine surgeons alike to understand the nuances of diagnosis and management in the recreational athlete population. This is a unique population due to the increased importance placed on returning to high levels of activity, but, by definition, they enjoy less resources and financial incentive to optimize their rehabilitation and return to sport compared with professional athletes. Lumbar disk herniation, spondylolysis, and disk degeneration are common pathologies in this population. Most the time, these pathologies in recreational athletes can be managed nonsurgically with excellent outcomes. In recreational athletes who have failed nonsurgical treatment and/or have risk of neurological injury, surgical treatment is a viable option with good outcomes. Evidence suggests that most athletes can return to sport after both nonsurgical or surgical management. A rapidly expanding number of easily accessible, minimally invasive, surgical options continue to gain popularity and may gain further indication in this population. Future studies focused on the return to activity for the unique population of recreational athletes is warranted.