Lumbar Position Sense and Low Back Injuries in College Athletes
Author Information
Author(s): Sheri P Silfies, Jacek Cholewicki, N Peter Reeves, Hunter S Greene
Primary Institution: Drexel University
Hypothesis
Athletes with a history of low back injury would demonstrate poorer lumbar position sense than athletes without a history of low back injury.
Conclusion
Poor trunk position sense in the transverse plane is not associated with low back injuries in athletes.
Supporting Evidence
- 60 athletes (21%) had a history of low back injury within the last five years.
- 31 athletes (11%) became injured during the follow-up period.
- Active trunk repositioning resulted in smaller errors than passive repositioning.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether athletes who have hurt their backs are worse at knowing where their back is positioned. It found that being bad at this doesn't make you more likely to get hurt again.
Methodology
A prospective cohort study evaluated lumbar spine position sense in 292 athletes using three tests over a 2-3 year follow-up.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may not accurately reflect actual injury status.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data for injury status, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
292 athletes from 22 sports, mostly varsity athletes, with a homogenous group regarding age, health, and fitness.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.25
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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