Lumbar Spine Injuries in the Athlete.

Low back pain is the most common complaint expressed by adult patients in the primary care setting, and the incidence of low back pain in adolescents is rising. Adolescents who are involved in athletics most commonly suffer from spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, mechanical low back pain, and herniated disks, whereas adult athletes most commonly suffer from lumbosacral strain and herniated or degenerative disks. Initial nonsurgical management aims to reduce inflammation and noninvasively strengthen damaged tissues. Although most patients who have low back pain will return to sports after nonsurgical treatment, surgery may be required in patients who have persistent or progressive neurologic symptoms.