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Interventional spine procedures in athletes
David J Petron1, Cara C Prideaux, Lincoln Likness
1Department of Orthopedics, University Orthopaedic Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84121, USA. david.petron@hsc.utah.edu
Current Sports Medicine Reports
|November 14, 2012
Summary
Athlete back pain often stems from various sources, impacting performance. This review explores interventional spine procedures as a nonoperative treatment to help athletes return to play safely and quickly.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedics
- Pain Management
Background:
- Back pain is a prevalent issue in athletes, leading to significant missed training and competition time.
- Identified pain generators include muscular, ligamentous, intervertebral disc, neural, articular, and bony structures.
- Current conservative treatments involve rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utility of various interventional spine procedures for treating back pain in athletes.
- To provide an overview of nonoperative treatment options for athletes experiencing back pain.
- To discuss the application of specific procedures despite a lack of high-quality athletic evidence.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on interventional spine procedures for athlete back pain.
- Discussion of selective nerve root blocks, epidural steroid injections, and intradiscal injections.
- Examination of pars interarticularis, facet joint, and sacroiliac (SI) joint interventions.
Main Results:
- Interventional spine procedures are increasingly utilized for nonoperative management of athlete back pain.
- Specific procedures discussed include nerve blocks, steroid injections, and radiofrequency neurotomy.
- Evidence specifically for athletes is limited, but these procedures offer potential treatment avenues.
Conclusions:
- Interventional spine procedures represent a growing nonoperative approach for athlete back pain.
- These techniques aim to alleviate symptoms and facilitate a prompt return to athletic activity.
- Further high-quality research is needed to establish definitive efficacy in athletic populations.
