Injuries in Collegiate Track and Field Jumping: A 2-Year Prospective Surveillance Study

Abstract

Background: Athletes participating in track and field jumping events (long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault) are exposed to ground-reaction forces on the takeoff leg that are several times their body weight. This can cause injuries specific to such activities. Purpose: To determine the incidence of injuries in collegiate jumpers using the guidelines set forth by a 2014 consensus statement on injury surveillance during track and field events. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: A total of 51 jumpers between April 2016 and March 2017 and 54 jumpers between April 2017 and March 2018 participated in this study. All athletes were from a single college in Japan. Baseline information on athletes participating in the long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault was collected at study enrollment. Practice and competition exposures were reported by the team trainer. Injury incidence was calculated as the number of injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Results: A total of 147 injuries were reported among 16,998 exposures (8.65 injuries per 1000 AEs). The most common injury locations were the posterior thigh and lateral ankle (17.0%), followed by the posterior foot or toe (12.9%); the most frequent type of injury was strain/muscle rupture/tear (21.1%). The most common injury for long jumpers was ankle sprain (23.3%); for high jumpers, flexor hallucis longus tendinosis (15.8%); and for pole vaulters, hamstring strain (13.2%). Conclusion: The overall characteristics are different for each event; therefore, injuries for each event need to be investigated.

Images in sports medicine: bone stress injury

“…When athletes involved in jumping disciplines (eg, long jump, triple jump and high jump) present with possible bone stress injury, the injury more often involves the take-off leg since the mechanical load borne is more than ten times body weight 7 8. However, the non-take off leg could also be involved, especially if there is an imbalance or overload applied to the injured side from biomechanical or musculoskeletal factors.…”

Mechanism and treatment of injuries in athletics (track and field sports)

“…In the United States, there are about 2 million acute ankle sprains reported annually [19]. The data table of visits to the emergency room shows that there are 1000 cases of 2 to 7 acute ankle sprains per year [19].…”

“…In the United States, there are about 2 million acute ankle sprains reported annually [19]. The data table of visits to the emergency room shows that there are 1000 cases of 2 to 7 acute ankle sprains per year [19]. The fact that 50% of ankle sprains treated in U.S. emergency rooms were unrelated to sports participation further supports the idea that many people, not just those who participate in organized sports or high-intensity physical activity, may be affected by these injuries [19].…”

“…The high rate of re-injury following the initial ankle sprain contributes to the high prevalence of acute ankle sprains [20]. In track and field events, ankle sprains occur most frequently in jumping sports, especially in long jumpers and triple jumpers, and usually occur at the lateral ankle [19].Triple jump, long jump Ankle injuries can occur in any situation, especially during landing and takeoff, requiring maximum sprint and explosive power for short periods of time [20].In lateral ankle sprains, which often result in lateral ankle ligament sprains, the biggest factor is the anatomy of the ankle joint [21,22].As a result, the triangular ligament is stronger and the lateral malleolus is longer than the medial malleolus.…”