During a Q&A conducted by SB Nation, Frank Cammisa, MD, Chief Emeritus of the Spine Service at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, discussed the long term affects of back pain on pro athletes, and how players can navigate through this setback.
Here are five takeaways from that interview.
1. NBA players put a tremendous amount of stress on their lower back due to the impact loading of running and jumping. The force from the impact loading activity goes through the ankle, knee, hip and spine, and can cause issues both with the muscular structure of the back as well as the bony structure.
2. "Opening the hips" is a form of treatment that refers to the flexibility of the hip joint that allows less stress to be placed on the spine.
3. "Chronic back pain can occur because of structural changes in the spine, which can occur with aging and repetitive trauma," said Dr. Cammisa. "Obviously, as one ages, more restriction can occur because of these changes."
4. When a lead athlete herniates a disc, the most common type of surgery done is generally a microsurgical discectomy. This procedure involves removing the portion of the disc that is impinging or pressing on the nerve root to relieve pain.
5. However, "most players do not require this type of surgery," said Dr. Cammisa.