Prevalence of Lower Back Pain and Risk Factors in Equestrians: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Lower back pain (LBP) is a prevalent issue affecting athletes across disciplines.
• Equestrian sports involve unique physical demands and potential risk factors for LBP.
• Limited research exists on the specific prevalence and risk factors of LBP in equestrian athletes (EAs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and determine the prevalence of LBP in EAs.
• To identify sport-specific and other risk factors associated with LBP in this population.
• To assess the quality of existing research on LBP in EAs.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched major databases (Web of Science, EBSCO, MEDLINE, SCOPUS) for observational studies (2004-2024).
• Included 14 studies with 4527 participants; assessed risk of bias using the Observation Study Quality Evaluation tool.

Main Results:

• Point prevalence of LBP in EAs ranged from 27.9% to 87.9%, higher than general and other athlete populations.
• Significant risk factors identified include workload and stable duties.
• Six of the 14 studies were rated as high-quality.

Conclusions:

• Equestrian athletes exhibit a high prevalence of lower back pain.
• Workload and stable duties are key risk factors requiring attention.
• Methodological inconsistencies and low study quality necessitate further high-quality research and tailored interventions for EAs.