title: Is the Zumba fitness responsible for low back pain?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Zumba fitness requires aerobic repetition exercises, involving the whole body including the spine. Our study is aimed at verifying whether this sport may cause low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young healthy females were recruited. They were allocated to a "Zumba group" (n = 25) or an "inactivity control group" (n = 25). The Roland-Morris Disability, the Oswestry, the SF-36 and the Spinal Functional Sort Questionaries of all subjects were measured at the baseline (T0) and at 6 months (T1). During this 6-month study, the number of episodes of low back pain was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At T1, improvements were seen in the "Zumba group." The "inactivity control group" showed worsening in each test at T1. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant for the items Role limitations and physical problems, Physical functioning, Pain and Social activity of SF-36 (p < 0.05). There were no any statistically significant differences in either group of episodes of back pain (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We verified that Zumba is not responsible for low back pain. Furthermore, we revealed that Zumba can increase the normal functional activity of the spine. On the basis of this data, we can recommend the practice of this sport on a regular basis for the healthy population, without worrying about the risk of overloading the spine. Further studies are necessary to check whether the patients with chronic spine disease may practice Zumba.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Basical Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy. angelanotarnicola@yahoo.it.|Course of Motor and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, Lungomare Starita 1, 70123, Bari, Italy. angelanotarnicola@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Notarnicola
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Basical Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maccagnano
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Basical Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pesce
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.affiliation: Course of Motor and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, Lungomare Starita 1, 70123, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Section, Department of Basical Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Organs of Sense, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, General Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.|Course of Motor and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Study of Bari, Lungomare Starita 1, 70123, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moretti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003615:Dancing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Fitness; Inactivity; Low back pain; Spine; Zumba