Back
Injuries, and Back Pain
Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and
sports are one approach many people choose to use to get their exercise.
For people with back pain, sports can still be a viable
option if they pay attention to their back.
For others who participate in sports, knowing the type of
strain various sports place on the back may help prevent a back injury.
This article give specific information about sports injuries
and back pain.
Types of
Sports-Related Back Injuries
When participating in any sport, injuries to any part of the
spine are possible, as well as injuries to the soft tissue and fascia that help
comprise the makeup of the body. Up to
20% of all injuries that occur in sports involve an injury to the lower back or
neck.
Lower Back injury
The lower back is subject to a great deal of strain in many
sports. Sports that use repetitive
impact (e.g., running), a twisting motion (e.g., golf), or weight loading at
the end of a range-of-motion (e.g., weightlifting) commonly cause damage to the
lower back.
Neck Injury
The neck is most commonly injured in sports that involve
contact (e.g., football), which place the cervical spine (neck) at risk of
injury.
Upper Back Injury
The thoracic spine (mid portion of the spine at the level of
the rib cage) is less likely to be injured because it is relatively immobile
and has extra support. Injuries seen
here can involve rib fracture and intercostals neuralgia as well as intercostals
muscle strains in sports that involve rotation of the torso (e.g., weight
training with rotation), swimming, golf, tennis and even skiing.
Stretching and
Warm-Up Prior to Exercise
While static stretching prior to any type of exercise used
to be recommended, a number of studies in recent years have shown that
stretching the muscles prior to exercise is not needed. A number of studies have shown that it does
not help prevent injury, and likely does no harm either.
For every sport, a thorough warm-up should be completed
before starting to play. The warm-up
will target the muscles used in that sport, but it should also prepare the back
for the stresses to come.
The warm-up used should be specific to the sport to be
played. A typical warm-up should
include:
-Increase circulation gradually by doing some easy movement
(such as walking) to increase blood circulation to the muscles and ligaments of
the back;
-Stretch the lower and upper back and related muscles,
including hamstrings and quadriceps
-Start slowly with the sport movements (e.g., swing the golf
club, serve the ball)
If you have questions please talk with me. I can help you
determine what your limits might be and suggest an appropriate amount of
exercise and exertion. I can also help
you with up to date information on the latest evidence related to stretching,
exercise routines for specific sports and additional information designed to
benefit your personal routine.
After over 20 years in the health field I know professionals
or instructors in almost every sport who are willing to share their
expertise. Ideally, someone with this
type of expertise can teach the correct form for a new sport or help develop
and keep the proper technique for a current sport.
Dr. David B. Thomson
