title: Radiographic abnormalities of the lumbar spine in college football players. A comparative analysis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to make a direct comparison between lumbar spine radiographs of incoming college football players and of an age-matched control group to determine whether there is a higher prevalence of lumbar spine abnormalities in football players before competing at the Division I level. We reviewed 187 lumbar spine radiographs. Of these, 104 were taken as a standard part of the preparation physical examination for incoming college football players. The remaining 83 radiographs were taken during routine preemployment physicals at a local factory. Each radiograph was read independently by three separate orthopaedic radiologists in a blinded fashion. Data were collected and statistically evaluated for 13 variables. The rate of spondylolysis was only 4.8% in our group of athletes and 6.0% in the control group (not significantly different). Only in the category of degenerative changes was a significant difference found. The control group had a 16.9% incidence of disk space narrowing and spurring and the football players had a 6.7% incidence. The remainder of the variables were not significantly different between the two groups. Our findings differ from previously published reports and indicate that football players entering college at the Division I level may have a similar prevalence of radiographic lumbar spine abnormalities, including spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, as age-matched controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tearse
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: el-Khoury
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kathol
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Brandser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology