Table 1

12-month prevalence of low back pain across different sports

SportNumber of athletes12-month prevalence (range reported where more than one study)
Archery22 786%
Aviation43 1182%
Badminton21 22 3370%–80%
Baseball43 560%
Basketball22 43 3255%–91%
Beach Volleyball21 22 19811%–80%
Biathlon49 11612%
Bobsleigh22 43 777%–100%
Bowling43 783%
Boxing22 43 1629%–57%
Canoe22 8672%–85%
Cricket93 2378%
Cross-country skiing19 25763%
Curling22 2557%–92%
Cycling22 43 76 20858%–83%
Dance22 2291%
Diving22 1080%
Fencing22 43 5063%–96%
Field hockey22 26 43 20836%–83%
Figure skating22 43 1967%–80%
Futsal61 13636%
Golf22 1100%
Gymnastics22 43 6873%–88%
Handball21 22 27 43 28629%–84%
Horseback riding22 43 1888%–100%
Ice hockey22 2768%–85%
Ice skating43 2165%
Inline skating43 3169.2%
Judo22 43 7079%–58%
Karate22 43 61 14044%–71%
Luge22 9100%
Modern pentathlon22 43 2100%
NFL71 8315%
Orienteering19 39 24750%–94%
Pole vaulting64 13517%
Rowing19 22 25 34 43 44 47 55 72 95 152332%–95%
Rugby22 3073%
Running69 4171%
Sailing22 43 66 1623%–84%
Scuba diving81 18150%
Shooting22 43 61 17130%–87%
Skiing19 22 43 30651%–74%
Soccer22 27 43 74 54729%–100%
Snowboarding43 1175%
Softball82 244%
Speed skating22 3384%
Surfing31 22720%
Swimming22 43 61 24234%–73%
Synchronised swimming22 367%
Table tennis22 43 100%–63%
Tennis20–22 61 17331%–57%
Taekwando22 43 1080%–90%
Track and field22 43 61 27541%–84%
Triathlon22 30 36 43 35913%–50%
Underwater rugby22 2990%
Volleyball22 43 61 23140%–79%
Waterpolo22 1990%
Weightlifting22 39 43 7454%–59%
Wrestling22 43 4061%–67%