Factors Associated with Low Back Overuse Injuries in Sports Science Students – A Prospective Study
Maja MIKŠA PODOBNIK
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of MedicineLjubljana, Slovenia
- Institute of Occupational SafetyLjubljana-Polje, Slovenia
Profilo Orcid, Nejc ŠARABON
Profilo Orcid, Marjan BILBAN
- Institute of Occupational SafetyLjubljana-Polje, Slovenia
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public HealthLjubljana, Slovenia
Profilo Orcid e Vedran HADŽIĆ
Profilo Orcid 
Categoria dell'articolo: Original scientific article
Pubblicato online: 02 gen 2025
Pagine: 59 - 67
Ricevuto: 19 ago 2024
Accettato: 11 ott 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2025-0008
Parole chiave
© 2025 Maja MIKŠA PODOBNIK et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Background
Sports science students (SPS) are more likely to be affected by low back pain (LBP) compared to the young, physically active population. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate potential risk factors for LBP in the population of SPS.
Methods
Before the beginning of the study the participants (n=54) performed initial physical performance testing and gave blood samples. Then they were followed up for 10 weeks. The observed outcome was LBP occurrence. The presence of the observed outcome was recorded using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Overuse Injury Questionnaire weekly. The association between LBP and potential explanatory factors - potential overtraining parameters (e.g. ferritin and iron levels, amount of sleep) and motor ability parameters (e.g. muscle strength, vertical jump) - was assessed using multiple binary logistic regression.
Results
During the 10 week prospective follow-up LBP was the most common problem affecting 13% of students. From the group of explanatory factors for LBP only two were included in the final model as statistically significant: low ferritin level (OR=8.70, p=0.008), and history of previous LBP (OR=8.69; p=0.006) made students more likely experience new LBP problems.
Conclusions
The SPS that are more at risk of experiencing LBP are those with a history of LBP and those with low ferritin level. Awareness should be raised among students about the importance of comprehensive LBP prevention (preventive exercise, preventive medical check up including blood test).