Lower Back Injuries in NCAA Female Volleyball Athletes: A 5-Year Epidemiologic Characterization

Background: Although lower back injuries (LBIs) are common among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) female volleyball athletes, their incidence and etiology has not been well-defined.

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of LBIs in collegiate female volleyball athletes over a 5-year period from the academic years 2009 to 2010 and 2013 to 2014.

Study design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods: The incidence and characteristics of spine injuries were identified utilizing the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program database. Rates of injury were calculated as the number of injuries by the total number of athlete-exposures (AEs). AEs were defined as any student participation in any single NCAA-sanctioned practice or competition. The injury rate was computed as the number of injuries per the total number of AEs and reported as a ration of injuries per 10,000 exposures. The ratio was then reported as overall number as well as stratified for event, time of season, and athletic NCAA division. Incidence rate ratios were then calculated to compare rates between event type. Results with 95% CIs that did not include 1.0 were considered statistically significant.

Results: An estimated 3384 LBIs occurred in NCAA female volleyball players during this 5-year time frame. These LBIs occurred at a rate of 4.89 injuries per 10,000 AEs. LBIs were 2.76 times more likely in preseason when compared with regular season. More injuries occurred in practice (85%) when compared with competition (15%). The outside hitter and middle blocker were the most commonly position to sustain an LBI. Almost 70% of injuries were new injuries, and another 29% were recurrent injuries. The most common mechanism of injury was equally split between contact (50.4%) and overuse (45.5%) injuries, whereas the remaining mechanisms of injury were secondary for unknown reasons (4.14%). Most players returned to play within 24 hours (72.3%) followed by 1 to 6 days (16.4%), and finally 7 to 12 days (11.3%). No patient required surgical intervention.

Conclusion: The rate of LBIs was high (4.89/10,000 AEs) and injuries commonly recurred (29.2%). Most injuries were new, with most athletes returning to play with 24 hours.