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Swimming for low back pain: A scoping review
Deborah M Wareham1, Joel T Fuller1, Tayla J Douglas1
1Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park 2109, NSW, Australia.
Musculoskeletal Science & Practice
|March 24, 2024
Summary
Swimming is often recommended for low back pain, but research is limited. This review found no clear association between swimming and back pain due to a lack of high-quality studies.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
- Clinical Biomechanics
Background:
- Exercise is recommended for chronic low back pain (CLBP) management and prevention.
- Evidence quality for different exercise modes in CLBP varies significantly.
- Swimming is frequently advised by healthcare professionals, yet research on its efficacy for back pain is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review of research on the relationship between swimming and low back pain.
- To map the extent, characteristics, and findings of existing studies.
- To clarify the evidence base for swimming as a treatment for low back pain.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORT Discus) was performed.
- Studies reporting an association between swimming and low back pain were included, excluding hydrotherapy.
- Data extraction focused on study design, participant characteristics, and reported associations.
Main Results:
- 44 studies were included from 3093 identified articles.
- The majority of studies were cross-sectional (84.1%) and focused on competitive athletes (59.0%).
- Reported associations between swimming and low back pain were highly variable, with no consistent pattern observed.
Conclusions:
- The current body of literature on swimming and low back pain is predominantly based on cross-sectional designs.
- There is insufficient high-quality evidence to establish a clear pattern of association between swimming and low back pain.
- Further rigorous research is needed to determine the role of swimming in managing low back pain.
