Incidence, prevalence and risk factors for low back pain in adolescent athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To investigate the incidence, prevalence, risk factors and morphological presentations of low back pain (LBP) in adolescent athletes.Systematic review with meta-analysis.Medline, Embase, CINAHL via EBSCO, Web of Science, Scopus.Studies evaluating the incidence and/or prevalence of LBP in adolescent athletes across all sports.There were 80 studies included. The pooled incidence estimate of LBP in adolescent athletes was 11% (95% CI 8% to 13%, I2=0%) for 2 years, 36.0% (95% CI 4% to 68%, I2=99.3%) for 12 months and 14% (95% CI 7% to 22%, I2=76%) for 6 months incidence estimates. The pooled prevalence estimate of LBP in adolescent athletes was 42% (95% CI 29% to 55%, I2=96.6%) for last 12 months, 46% (95% CI 41.0% to 52%, I2=56%) for last 3 months and 16% (95% CI 9% to 23%, I2=98.3%) for point prevalence. Potential risk factors were sport participation, sport volume/intensity, concurrent lower extremity pain, overweight/high body mass index, older adolescent age, female sex and family history of LBP. The most common morphology reported was spondylolysis. Methodological quality was deemed high in 73% of cross-sectional studies and in 30% of cohort studies. Common reasons for downgrading at quality assessment were use of non-validated survey instruments and imprecision or absence of LBP definition.LBP is common among adolescent athletes, although incidence and prevalence vary considerably due to differences in study methodology, definitions of LBP and data collection.CRD42020157206.