Spine in Athletes
Abstract
Spinal lesions in athletes can be classified into overuse and acute injuries. Overuse injuries can be found after repetitive spinal load during sport activity; acute trauma injuries of the spine are common in contact sports. We present an overview of the wide spectrum of spinal injuries related to sport activity and review their imaging findings. Concerning overuse injuries, we focus on degenerative spine disease, spondylolysis, pedicle fractures, apophyseal ring injuries, Schmorl's nodes, and Scheuermann's disease. Acute spinal injuries are relatively frequently reported in athletes and may be the reason for severe morbidity. Similar to the general population, the type of acute spine fracture in athletes depends on the specific trauma mechanism.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Spinal Fractures and Fixation Techniques
Cervical and Thoracic Myelopathy
Spinal Cord Injury Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Seminars in Musculoskeletal Radiology
- Publisher
- Georg Thieme Verlag KG
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 02
- Pages
- 180–191
- Publication date
- 9 February 2026
- Language
- EN