Prevention and treatment outcomes of low back pain in competitive gymnasts - A systematic review

Purpose: Artistic gymnasts perform skills that involve repetitive flexion, hyperextension, and compressive loading, placing significant biomechanical stress on the lumbar spine. These demands contribute to the high prevalence of low back pain in this population. Despite its prevalence, there remains a need for targeted treatment strategies that address the sport-specific challenges faced by gymnasts. Methods: Studies related to the prevention and treatment outcomes of LBP in gymnasts published before October 7, 2024 were searched and screened from the PubMed/Medline, Embase (OVID), and Web of Science databases. Four studies met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Results: Across the three studies assessing conservative treatment for LBP, 50–100 % of gymnasts reported improvement in LBP while 50–67 % of gymnasts reported resolution of symptoms. In one case series, outcomes after surgical intervention were variable with one gymnast returning to gymnastics within 6 weeks postoperatively and the other gymnast failing to return to gymnastics. Conclusions: Conservative interventions, including trunk muscle endurance training, physical therapy, and segmental control exercises appear effective in reducing low back pain in artistic gymnasts. It is difficult to draw conclusions regarding surgical intervention in the gymnastic population due to the low number of high quality studies. Future studies should attempt to stratify various exercise regimens to further improve outcomes in this population.

Duke Scholars

Author Conor Neumann O'Neill Orthopaedic Surgery