Spine Injury Prevention
Spinal injury and back pain are a common problem facing patients seeking medical care including athletes, which can lead to significant disability, medical costs, and impaired performance for these patients….
Spinal Deformities in the Adolescent Athlete
Idiopathic scoliosis will be noted in 2% to 3% of typically developing athletes. Sports physicals are an opportunity to screen for spinal deformity and to promote healthy involvement in activities….
Cervical Disc Herniations, Radiculopathy, and Myelopathy
The key to successful treatment of elite athletes is optimizing the medical care at every step: injury prevention and sport-specific training; comprehensive history and physical examination; high-quality and complete diagnostic…
Spinal Care in the Aging Athlete
Aging athletes face unique, increased adversities related to increased mobility and age-related spine issues, such as spinal stenosis, osteoporosis complicated by fragility fractures, and degenerative disk disease. This article covers…
Return to Play for Cervical and Lumbar Spine Conditions
Although the safety of contact sports has improved over the years, participation in any sport always carries a risk of injury. When cervical or lumbar spine injuries do occur, prompt…
Lumbar Disk Herniations and Radiculopathy in Athletes
Lumbar disk herniation is the most common surgical condition of the spine. High-level athletes participate in activities that place extreme loads on the intervertebral disks. These repetitive loads may lead…
Axial Low Back Pain in Elite Athletes
Back pain in sport is a common complaint and seen by athletes, trainers, and treating physicians. Although there are a multitude of pain generators, mechanical sources are most common. Certain…
Lumbosacral Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis
Repetitive stress on the lumbosacral spine during sporting activity places the athletic patient at risk of developing symptomatic pars defect. Clinical history, physical examination, and diagnostic imaging are important to…
On-Field Management of Suspected Spinal Cord Injury
Acute spinal cord injuries in athletes are rare. However, on-field management of such injuries requires a well-planned approach from a team of well-trained medical staff. Athletes wearing protective gear should…
Transient Quadriparesis and Cervical Neuropraxia in Elite Athletes
Elite athletes are often faced with difficult decisions when faced with a cervical spinal disorder. There are many aspects to consider such as the risk of further injury, short- and…
