Table 2 Demographic and behavioral characteristics of 60 study athletes, comparison between the 24 athletes with LBP and 36 athletes without LBP episodes

Sport activity, hours/week, mean ± SD

7.8 ± 3.3

7.4 ± 3.4

8.1 ± 3.2

0.16^b

Elite (national/international experience), n (%)

23 (38.3)

7 (29.2)

16 (44.4)

0.23^c

Non-elite, n (%)

37 (61.7)

17 (70.8)

20 (55.6)

0.23^c

Female, n (%)

25 (41.7)

11 (45.8)

14 (38.9)

0.59^c

Male, n (%)

35 (58.3)

13 (54.2)

22 (61.1)

0.59^c

Age, years, mean ± SD

33.9 ± 13.3

31.6 ± 12.4

35.5 ± 13.8

0.26^b

Age at first LBP episode, years, mean ± SD

23.1 ± 9.5

23.1 ± 9.5

–

–

Number of LBP episodes, mean ± SD

3.1 ± 3.0

3.1 ± 3.0

–

–

Weight, kg, mean ± SD

72.4 ± 14.7

74.1 ± 11.6

71.2 ± 16.5

0.33^b

Height, m, mean ± SD

174.9 ± 8.3

176.2 ± 7.6

174.1 ± 8.8

0. 46^b

BMI, kg/m², mean ± SD

23.5 ± 3.5

23.8 ± 3.0

23.2 ± 3.9

0.29^b

BMI ≥ 25, kg/m², n (%)

15 (25.0)

6 (25.0)

9 (25.0)

1.00^c

University/College, n (%)

40 (66.7)

19 (79.2)

21 (58.3)

0.094^c

Married or separated/divorced, n (%)

25 (41.7)

8 (33.3)

17 (47.2)

0.28^c

Current smoker, n (%)

7 (11.7)

3 (12.5)

4 (11.1)

1.00^d

Ever (current or past) smoker, n (%)

17 (28.3)

7 (29.2)

10 (27.8)

0.91^c

6 or more cigarettes/day ever smoker, n (%)

9 (15.0)

4 (16.7)

5 (13.9)

1.00^d

11 or more cigarettes/day ever smoker, n (%)

6 (10.0%)

2 (8.3)

4 (11.1)

1.00^d

Coffee drinkers, n (%)

50 (83.3)

22 (91.7)

28 (77.8)

0.29^d

3 or more cups of coffee ^a/day, n (%)

19 (31.7)

9 (37.5)

10 (27.8)

0.43^c

Exposure to vibrations ≥2 h/day

22 (36.7)

13 (54.2)

9 (25.0)

0.022^c

Physical job demand more than sedentary

27 (45.0)

11 (45.8)

16 (44.4)

0.92^c

Physical job demand more than medium

12 (20.0)

6 (25.0)

6 (16.7)

0.52^d

Family history of lumbar pathologies

6 (10.0)

5 (20.8)

1 (2.8)

0.033^d