Article

This cohort study aimed to report the compliance of young athletes
with nonoperative treatment and to clarify the role of sports modification on
clinical outcome of symptomatic spondylolysis. DESIGN: This study included
patients with a chief complaint of low back pain participating in regular sports
activity, having spondylolysis, and being treated and followed up between 1990
and 2002 in the authors' hospital. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-two athletes were
included in this study: 78 males and 54 females. The mean age of the patients was
13 yrs (range, 7-18 yrs). Only 56 patients (42.4%) were compliant to nonoperative
treatment. Eighty-six patients (65%) stopped all sports activities for at least 3
mos, and 46 patients (35%) stopped exercising for a variable period of less than
3 mos. The grading of clinical outcome after nonoperative treatment was as
follows: excellent in 48 patients (36.4%), good in 74 patients (56.1), fair in 6
patients (4.5%), and poor in 4 patients (3%). The patients who stopped sports for
at least 3 mos were 16.39 times more likely to have an excellent result than
those who did not stop sports. Bony healing on radiographs did not correlate with
clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Timely cessation of sports activity for 3 mos is
considered an effective method of nonoperative treatment for young athletes with
symptomatic lumbar spondylolysis.

Langue : ANGLAIS