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Spine problems in the athlete
John T. Stinson,M.D. |
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Dr. Stinson is Board Certified Orthopaedic
Surgeon with The Orthopaedic Center, Rockville and an assistant clinical |
ABSTRACT: Athletic performance is frequently compromised by disorders of the spine. This article discusses back and neck problems commonly seen in athletes and outlines effective treatment requirements. Effective management of spinal disorders in athletes requires an appreciation of the many circumstances unique to their lifestyles and expectations. The usual six weeks of minimal intervention appropriate for the average patient may not be acceptable to an individual with an athletic scholarship or professional contract on the line. Also, what might be a "good result" for a mailroom clerk might be disabling for a distance runnerorplatform diver. On the other hand, the qualities ofpeak physical conditioning and high motivation may make the expectation of rapid recovery not unrealistic. Most athletic injuries to the spine are self-limiting soft tissue insults that usually respond well to continued but modified activity through a nonpainful range in a phased continuum. It is estimated that only about 10% ofsports injuries are related to the spine.1.2 The spine, however, is vulnerable in any sport, contact or noncontact. The vulnerability is readily understood when the spine is viewed as a force couple between the upper and lower extremities that both absorbs and transmits forces while providing support and balance.3 The spine is not simply a passive structure that relies on the legs to carry it. Rather, through an elaborate sequence of energy transformation, it actively drives the lower extremities. The spine transforms lateral bending into the axial torque needed to rotate the pelvis.4 This relatively atavistic function of the spine in the human was the primary engine of locomotion in our fish ancestors. Injuries to the spine affect the limbs and injuries to the limbs affect the |
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Maryland Medical Journal August 1996
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655
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