Tis the Season…for Spondylolysis?

I’ve written previously about the prevalence of spondylolysis (lumbar fractures) in young athletes – and particularly those in rotational sports.  You can read my in-depth newsletter on the problem HERE.  It’s a huge problem in young athletes; I’d estimate that I’ve trained more than 15 athletes since 2006 through their entire 12-16 week back-bracing periods.

Now, while July is usually recognized for barbecues, baseball, and beaches (and anything else that’s exciting and begins with a “B”), I’ve begun to recognize it as “back-bracing season.”  What gives?

Well, for starters, I’ve seen two new spondy cases come through our door in the past week.  Considering that prevalance is estimated at anywhere from 15-63% in the general population, it isn’t a huge surprise.  However, why would more present with symptoms at this time of year?

Think about the sports we play in the spring and summer: baseball, tennis, and lacrosse.  And, many soccer and hockey players have been going non-stop since the fall.  In other words, rotational sports have been going on for a long time, and kids are getting more and more detrained – with less flexibility and strength – as these neverending seasons go on.

Likewise, as a great article in the Portland Press Herald observed this past weekend, many high school athletes are riding multiple horses with one saddle. In other words, now that they’re out of school, you’ve got kids participating in basketball/hockey (winter) and lacrosse/baseball at the same time – and doing their best to attend fall sports (field hockey, soccer, football) practices.  And, just when they are ready for a day off, they’re going to play golf with Dad on Sunday.  When are these kids removing the rotational challenges and preparing themselves physically with good strength, stability, and flexibility training?

Anybody who says that the era of the three-sport athlete is dead doesn’t know his arse from his elbow.  While early sports specialization has definitely taken off, now, multi-sport athletes are expected to “specialize” in three different sports at once.  They compete all the time, but never prepare their bodies to compete – or play at all.

In The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual, I go into great detail on how those athletes who do choose to specialize should do so.

However, in younger populations, a lot of these guidelines don’t apply, as they’re balancing multiple sports.  They need to hang out with their friends, play multiple sports, and get involved in less organized physical activity.  And, most importantly, they need to participate in strength training and flexibility programs, as these exercise modalities are different than traditional sports because they can be fluctuated on a regular basis to avoid imbalances.

I know there are a lot of parents who read this newsletter and are trying to do the right thing for their kids.  It isn’t fair to condemn them for signing their kids up for another travel team, as that’s the game as it’s played with respect to player development and college recruiting nowadays.  However, I would encourage those parents to “undo” some of the early specialization damage by encouraging sons and daughters to participate in training to prepare their bodies for this specialization.

Lastly, for those of you who are looking to learn more about low back pain, I can’t say enough great things about Dr. Stuart McGill’s Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance book.  It’s a great investment.

A Quick Congratulations…

Just a quick note to recognize CP athlete Danny O’Connor, who moved his professional boxing record to 7-0 last Saturday night.  Check out a great write-up in the Boston Globe featuring Danny, his coach, and some nutcase named Cressey: Punching His Ticket in the Pros

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Have a great week!

EC