The epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in 2015-2016 Kuwaiti track and field athletes

Abstract EN

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of the type and severity of musculoskeletal injuries sustained by Kuwaiti track and field athletes from different sporting clubs during a one-year period from October 2015 to October 2016, and to compare their rates of overuse and acute injuries.

Design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Setting: All injury data was reported and recorded by Sports Medicine and Health Awareness Center (SMHAC) - Public Authority for Sports in The State of Kuwait..Participants: Track and field Kuwaiti male athletes from different sporting clubs during a one-year period from October 2015 to October 2016.

A total of 54 Subjects consisted of 19 sprinters and hurdles, 18 middle and long distance, 10 jumpers and 7 throwers.Main Outcome Measure(s): All injury data was obtained and analyzed from The (SMHAC) computer software.

Results: During the study period a total of 334 musculoskeletal injuries from different sports were diagnosed and recorded by physiotherapists in (SMHAC).

A total of 54 injuries were reported from male track and field athletes, which accounted for 16.2% of the total of 334 musculoskeletal injuries during 2015-2016 sports season.

Track athletes (sprinting and running) suffered more injures 37 (68.5%) than field athletes (throwing and jumping) 17 (31.4%).

In addition, sprinters, hurdlers, and middle-distance runners sustained more acute type injuries, whereas jumpers and throwers experienced more overuse type injuries.

The most common sites of injury was the knee 20 (37.0%), thigh 9 (16.7%%), ankle 7 (12.9%), back 5 (9.3%), elbow 5 (9.3%) and shoulder 3 (5.6%).

The most common major musculoskeletal injuries were muscle strains 19 (35.2%), stress fractures 13 (24.1%), sprains 15 (27.7% including 11 back sprains), and cartilage and ligaments ruptures 7 (12.9%).

Conclusion: It is important to encourage the physiotherapists to record more comprehensive information regarding the time, cause, and the history of the injuries.

More detailed information may aide the development of better prevention and rehabilitation programs.

It is also very important to achieve adequate and constant cooperation with athletics clubs (coaches, athletes and administrative staff) to facilitate the research process.

future studies are required to identify different age groups of track and field athletes that are at increased risk of injury which may develop better prevention for musculoskeletal injuries.