title: Back injuries in college athletes.
abstract: Frequency and types of back injuries sustained by intercollegiate athletes were determined by examining medical records of 4,790 athletes that competed in 17 varsity sports over a 10-year period. These athletes sustained 333 back injuries, an injury rate of 7 per 100 participants. Injury rates were significantly higher in football and gymnastics, and 80% of the injuries occurred in practice, 6% in competition, and 14% during preseason conditioning. Muscle strains occurred with much greater frequency than other types of injuries, and acute back injuries were much more prevalent (59%) than overuse injuries (12%) or injuries associated with pre-existing conditions (29%).
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Wisconsin Clinical Science Center, Madison.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Keene
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Springer
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Clancy
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019567:Back Injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D013909:Thorax; D014495:Universities; D014922:Wisconsin