Pain originating from the sacroiliac joint is a common non-traumatic musculoskeletal complaint in elite inline-speedskaters - an observational study

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study OBJECTIVES: To investigate common non-traumatic musculoskeletal complaints of the low back in elite inline-speedskaters of the German national team. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Traumatic injuries associated with falls or collisions are well documented in speedskaters but so far no studies have investigated non-traumatic low back pain. Previously, the sacroiliac joint was suspected as a frequent origin of complaint, we aimed to investigate this assumption. METHODS: Two chiropractors examined elite inline-speedskaters of the German national team during three sports events between summer 2010 and 2011. A test cluster of five provocative tests for the sacroiliac joint was selected based on reliability and validity. RESULTS: A total of 37 examinations were conducted on 34 athletes with low back pain during the three sport events. The reported pain intensities ranged from mild to moderate pain (VAS 23.4 ± 13.4 to 35.1 ± 19.2). About 90% of cases showed involvement of the SI joint of which again 90% presented with left sided symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Non-traumatic complaints of the low back originating from the left sacroiliac joint frequently occur in competitive inline speedskaters.