Hight return-to-sport rate following traumatic spine injury in amateur athletes

• Published in: BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation medicine & rehabilitation, 2024-11, Vol.16 (1), p.229-12, Article 229
• Main Authors: Raisch, Philipp, Hirth, Tabea, Kreinest, Michael, Vetter, Sven Y, Grützner, Paul A, Jung, Matthias K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2052-1847; 2052-1847
• DOI: 10.1186/s13102-024-01017-x

Data on the resumption of sporting activity (return-to-sport, RTS) after traumatic spine injuries are mainly available for elite athletes. This study aimed to determine the RTS rate in amateurs after spine injury and to identify factors possibly influencing RTS. First, a retrospective analysis of clinical data of patients with traumatic spine injuries receiving inpatient treatment at a national trauma center from 2016 to 2020 was performed. Patients up to the age of 60 who were active in sports before the injury were included. Patients with the following relevant concomitant injuries were excluded: spinal cord injury, pelvic injury, extremity injuries, as well as craniocerebral trauma grade 2 or higher. A telephone interview on participants' RTS within the first year after the injury was conducted. Participants with early and those with late or no RTS were compared in univariate analysis regarding potential influencing factors. The level of significance was set to p