Background: Sports science students (SPS) are more likely to be affected by low back pain (LBP) compared to the young, physically active population. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate potential risk factors for LBP in the population of SPS.
Methods: Before the beginning of the study the participants (n=54) performed initial physical performance testing and gave blood samples. Then they were followed up for 10 weeks. The observed outcome was LBP occurrence. The presence of the observed outcome was recorded using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Overuse Injury Questionnaire weekly. The association between LBP and potential explanatory factors - potential overtraining parameters (e.g. ferritin and iron levels, amount of sleep) and motor ability parameters (e.g. muscle strength, vertical jump) - was assessed using multiple binary logistic regression.
Results: During the 10 week prospective follow-up LBP was the most common problem affecting 13% of students. From the group of explanatory factors for LBP only two were included in the final model as statistically significant: low ferritin level (OR=8.70, p=0.008), and history of previous LBP (OR=8.69; p=0.006) made students more likely experience new LBP problems.
Conclusions: The SPS that are more at risk of experiencing LBP are those with a history of LBP and those with low ferritin level. Awareness should be raised among students about the importance of comprehensive LBP prevention (preventive exercise, preventive medical check up including blood test).
Uvod: Študenti programov športne smeri (SPS) so bolj dovzetni za bolečine v spodnjem delu hrbta (BSH) kot mlada, telesno dejavna populacija. Namen prospektivne študije je bil oceniti potencialne dejavnike tveganja za BSH med populacijo SPS.
Metode: Pred začetkom raziskave so udeleženci (n = 54) opravili testiranje telesne zmogljivosti in oddali vzorce krvi. Nato smo jih spremljali 10 tednov. Opazovan izid je bila bolečina v spodnjem delu hrbta (BSH). Pojavnost opazovanega izida je bila beležena z vprašalnikom Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Overuse Injury Questionnaire na tedenski bazi. Povezanost med BSH in možnimi pojasnjevalnimi dejavniki – morebitnimi dejavniki pretreniranosti (npr. raven železa in feritina, količina spanca) in dejavniki gibalnih sposobnosti (npr. mišična moč, vertikalni skok) – smo ocenili z uporabo multiple binarne logistične regresije.
Rezultati: Tekom 10-tedenskega prospektivnega spremljanja je bila BSH najpogostejša težava, ki je prizadela 13 % študentov. Iz skupine pojasnjevalnih dejavnikov za BSH sta bila v končni model vključena samo dva kot statistično pomembna: nizka raven feritina (OR = 8,70; p = 0,008) in anamneza predhodne BSH (OR = 8,69; p = 0,006) sta pomenila večjo verjetnost pojava BSH.
Zaključki: SPS, pri katerih obstaja večje tveganje za BSH, so tisti z anamnezo BSH in tisti z nizko ravnjo feritina. Študente je treba ozaveščati glede pomembnosti celovite preventive BSH (preventivna vadba, preventivni zdravstveni pregledi vključno s preiskavami krvi).
Keywords: Ferritin level; Low back pain; Muscle strength; Prevention; Students.
© 2025 Maja MIKŠA PODOBNIK et al., published by Sciendo.