Lumbar Intervertebral Disk Degeneration in Elite Competitive Swimmers

• Published in: The American journal of sports medicine Vol. 35; no. 8; p. 1341
• Main Authors: Kaneoka, Koji, Shimizu, Ken, Hangai, Mika, Okuwaki, Toru, Mamizuka, Naotaka, Sakane, Masataka, Ochiai, Naoyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine 01-08-2007; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Back pain; Orthopedics; Sports injuries; Sports medicine; Swimming
• ISSN: 0363-5465; 1552-3365
• DOI: 10.1177/0363546507300259

Background: The majority of orthopaedic problems experienced by competitive swimmers are related to pain in the shoulder, low back, and
knee. Three of 39 national swim team members were hampered in their performance due to lumbar disk herniation at an international
competition in 2001. There has been no previous research into lumbar disk degeneration in elite competitive swimmers.
Hypothesis: Excessive competitive swimming activities accelerate lumbar disk degeneration.
Study Design: Case control study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods: Fifty-six elite swimmers (high-load group, 35 men and 21 women; mean age, 19.6 years) and a control group of 38 university
recreational level swimmers (low-load group, 24 men and 14 women; mean age, 21.1 years) were evaluated for lumbar disk degeneration
using magnetic resonance imaging. We compared the prevalence of disk degeneration and the disk level between the 2 groups
and further investigated the relationship among their symptoms, swimming styles, and disk degeneration.
Results: Thirty-eight (68%) elite swimmers and 11 (29%) controls had degenerated disks at various disk levels, and the prevalence
was significantly greater in the elite swimmers ( P = .0002). Comparison between the 2 groups of the prevalence of disk degeneration at each level revealed that the disk level
of L5-S1 was significantly more frequently degenerated in the high-load group ( P = .026). There was no significant relationship observed among the variables of low back pain symptoms, swimming strokes,
and disk degeneration.
Conclusion: Excessive competitive swimming activities might exaggerate lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration, especially in the L5-S1
intervertebral segment.
Keywords:
lumbar intervertebral disk
disk degeneration
swimming
sports