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Lumbar Disk Herniations and Radiculopathy in Athletes
Paul R Gause1, Ryan J Godinsky1, Keven S Burns1
1Spine Institute of Arizona, 9735 North 90th Place, Scottsdale, AZ 85258, USA.
Clinics in Sports Medicine
|May 30, 2021
Summary
High-level athletes face increased risk of lumbar disk herniation due to extreme spinal loads. Both surgical and non-surgical treatments offer high success rates for athletes aiming to return to play.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
- Spine Surgery
Background:
- Lumbar disk herniation is a prevalent spinal surgical condition.
- Athletes' high-impact activities can lead to intervertebral disk degeneration and herniation.
- Repetitive spinal loading increases degenerative disk disease risk in athletes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review treatment outcomes for lumbar disk herniation in athletes.
- To assess the effectiveness of current treatment algorithms for athletic populations.
- To determine the rate of return to play following treatment for lumbar disk herniation in athletes.
Main Methods:
- Review of treatment algorithms for lumbar disk herniation in athletes.
- Comparison of nonoperative and operative treatment success rates.
- Analysis of return-to-play metrics in the athletic population.
Main Results:
- Treatment protocols for athletes are comparable to the general population.
- Both surgical and nonoperative interventions demonstrate high success rates.
- Return to play is a key measure of treatment success for athletes.
Conclusions:
- Lumbar disk herniation treatment in athletes yields high success rates for return to play.
- Standard treatment algorithms are effective for athletes experiencing disk herniation.
- Successful return to sport is achievable with both surgical and non-surgical management.
