Perspectives of Endoscopic Spine Surgery in Athletes and Practitioners of Physical Activity

Abstract

Spinal degenerative diseases are common in physical activity practitioners and even athletes and may require surgical intervention. A great training routine, especially at young ages may lead to raised chances of spine degeneration and back pain. However, endoscopic spine surgery (ESS) seems to be a viable alternative, especially in the case of athletes, as recovery time and time away from the play are much shorter than in open surgery. Open surgery requires longer hospitalization time, has higher rates of infection, and, consequently, longer recovery time. Athletes and practitioners of physical activity can benefit from ESS as it is a minimally invasive procedure, with less tissue damage and shorter recovery time, which in many cases has the same benefits as open procedures for spinal disorders, but often with a shorter return to play (RTP) time.