Radiological Changes in the Cervical Spine in Freshman Collegiate Sumo Wrestlers

BACKGROUND: Sumo has long been a traditional sport in Japan and is rapidly attracting enthusiasts abroad. Sumo wrestling entails a risk of impact to the cervical spine during an initial charge. Few reports are available in the English-language literature regarding radiological changes in the cervical spine in sumo wrestlers. PURPOSE: To examine radiological changes in the cervical spine in freshmen collegiate sumo wrestlers. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A total of 53 freshmen sumo wrestlers (age, 18-19 years) who belonged to the Japan Sumo Federation underwent routine radiographic examination of the cervical spine and completed questionnaires on cervical symptoms. RESULTS: Of the 53 wrestlers, 81% showed loss of lordosis, 45% showed osteophyte formation (mainly at C3-C4), 11% showed disc space narrowing (mainly at C5-C6), and 51% showed narrowing of the cervical nerve root foramina (mainly at C3-C4). Fifty-one percent had some cervical symptoms. A correlation was found between deformity of the cervical bodies (such as intervertebral disc ballooning) and cervical symptoms, but no correlation was found between cervical degenerative changes and cervical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that loss of lordosis, osteophyte formation, and narrowing of the cervical nerve root foramina at C3-C4 were frequently present in freshmen wrestlers and may be due to the axial load incurred prior to their collegiate careers.