Table 6 Results of Mann-Whitney testing for unpaired variables of the differences in degenerative disc changes between the athletes and the control group. Degenerative changes are presented as median Pfirrmann grade. Significance was set as p < 0.05

C2/3

3

2

no (0.2971)

C3/4

3

2.5

no (> 0.9999)

C4/5

2

2.5

no (0.3177)

C5/6

2

3

no (0.3698)

C6/7

2

2

no (0.3498)

C7/T1

2

2

no (0.5263)

T1/2

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T2/3

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T3/4

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T4/5

2

2

no (0.4737)

T5/6

2

2

no (0.4737)

T6/7

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T7/8

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T8/9

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T9/10

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T10/11

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T11/12

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

T12/L1

2

2

no (0.7214)

L1/2

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

L2/3

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

L3/4

2

2

no (> 0.9999)

L4/5

2

2

no (0.9639)

L5/S1

2

2

no (0.9571)

Cervical

14

14

no (0.7625)

Thoracic

24

24

no (0.7972)

Lumbar

10

10.5

no (0.9149)

Whole spine

49

49

no (0.9483)