Relationship between CrossFit practice duration and self-reported low back pain in amateur athletes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56200/mentor.v5i4.11260Keywords:
CrossFit, Low Back Pain, Time Factors, Oswestry Disability Index, AthletesAbstract
CrossFit is a high-intensity, constantly varied training modality that has gained widespread popularity. Concerns have emerged regarding its association with musculoskeletal pain, particularly low back pain. However, current evidence does not consistently demonstrate a relationship between duration of practice and low back pain.This study investigated the association between duration of CrossFit practice and self-reported low back pain, as well as related functional disability measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), in amateur athletes. A cross-sectional, quantitative design was conducted with 75 participants (52% men; predominantly aged 30–39 years). Participants completed the ODI and reported their duration of practice in months. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient (p < 0.05).The mean duration of practice was 34.6 months (SD = 24.1). ODI scores indicated low functional disability (median = 0%; mean = 5.5%). No significant correlation was found between duration of practice and ODI scores (r = 0.10; p = 0.669). Low back pain was reported by 28% of participants. These findings suggest that duration of practice is not associated with low back pain or related disability, indicating that other factors may be more relevant.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Filipe Gubert Zanrosso, Leonardo de Jesus Hernandez Cruz , Germana Borghetti Zanrosso
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