Low Back Pain in Athletes Is Associated with General and Sport Specific Risk Factors: A Comprehensive Review of Longitudinal Studies

Table 2

Standard checklist for assessment of methodological quality of prospective cohort studies.

Item	Score: no = 0/yes = 1
()	Describe the setting, locations, and relevant dates, including periods of recruitment, exposure, follow-up, and data collection
()	Give the eligibility criteria and the sources and methods of selection of participants. Describe methods of follow-up
()	Clearly define all variables (outcomes and exposures) considered for and included in the analysis. Give diagnostic criteria, if applicable
()	For each variable of interest, give sources of data and details of methods of assessment (measurement)
()	Describe all statistical methods, used to examine subgroups, interactions, and control for confounding
()	If applicable, explain how loss to follow-up was addressed
()	Report descriptive data; give characteristics of study participants (e.g., demographic, clinical, and social) and information on exposures and potential confounders
()	Report numbers of outcome events or summary measures over time
()	Give unadjusted estimates and, if applicable, confounder-adjusted estimates and their precision (e.g., 95% confidence interval). Make clear which confounders were adjusted for and why they were included