Epidemiology of NCAA Track and Field Injuries From 2010 to 2014

Abstract

Background: Track and field (T&F) athletes compete in a variety of events that require different skills and training characteristics. Descriptive epidemiology studies often fail to describe event-specific injury patterns. Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) T&F by sex, setting (practice vs competition), and time of season (indoor vs outdoor) and to compare injury patterns by events within the sport. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Data were obtained from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program for all indoor and outdoor T&F injuries during the academic years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Injury rates, injury rate ratios, and injury proportion ratios (IPRs) were reported and compared by sex, injury setting, season, and event. Analysis included time-loss as well as no-time loss injuries. Results: Over the 5 seasons, the overall injury rate was 3.99 injuries per 1000 athletic-exposures (95% CI, 3.79-4.20). After controlling for injury diagnoses, women’s T&F athletes experienced an 18% higher risk of injury (95% CI, 7% to 31%) and missed 41% more time after an injury (95% CI, 4% to 93%) when compared with men. Among all athletes, the injury risk during competition was 71% higher (95% CI, 50% to 95%) compared with practice and required 59% more time loss (95% CI, 7% to 135%). Distance running accounted for a significantly higher proportion of overuse injuries (IPR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.40-2.05; P < .05) and required 168% more time loss (95% CI, 78% to 304%) than other events. The hip and thigh were the body regions most commonly injured; injury type, however, varied by T&F event. Sprinting accounted for the greatest proportion of hip and thigh injuries, distance running had the greatest proportion of lower leg injuries, and throwing reported the greatest proportion of spine and upper extremity injuries. Conclusion: Injury risk in NCAA T&F varied by sex, season, and setting. Higher injury rates were found in women versus men, indoor versus outdoor seasons, and competitions versus practices. The hip and thigh were the body regions most commonly injured; however, injury types varied by event. These findings may provide insight to programs aiming to reduce the risk of injury and associated time loss in collegiate T&F.

Characterization of Throwing Track and Field Injuries in Adolescent and Young Adult Participants Resulting in Emergency Department Visits: An Analysis of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System

“…Overall, females (8,294; 95% CI: 7,087-9,502) Despite the popularity of track and field, limited research has investigated this population at large. Many studies have instead focused on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or elite level athletes specifically [3][4][5][6]. Even less research has focused on throwing event injury patterns.…”

Age and Sex Comparisons in Pediatric Track and Field Hurdle Injuries Seen in Emergency Departments of the US

“…Furthermore, hurdle races are divided based upon age and sex, so an understanding of how injuries differ between the different groups is warranted [ 3 ]. On the collegiate level, there has been an analysis of sex differences in track and field injuries [ 9 ], but hurdling was not included in the study. Sex-specific studies of all track and field injuries, which included those sustained in hurdling, have been performed and have evaluated injured body parts and mechanisms [ 10 , 11 ], but, similarly, these have been limited to collegiate athletes and have not compared injuries across the two sexes.…”

Prevalence of self-reported lower limb overuse problems in highly trained track and field athletes during 12 weeks of pre-season training

“…During elite athletics championships, the most prevalent injury diagnosis has been thigh strains (especially hamstring strain with 16%), and 46% of them have led to time loss from training [2,3]. Hopkins et al found that, in the seasons 2010-2014, track and field athletes of the National Collegiate Athletic Association had injury prevalence of 3.99 injuries per 1000 athletic exposures [20].…”