The Association between Sport Injury Characteristics and Sport Type among Academic Elite Athletes

Background: In recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of athletes at the Academy for Sports Excellence at the Wingate Institute. These young athletes train an average of 30-36 hours each week. The many hours spent in training put these athletes at a higher risk for injuries.

Aim: To examine the relationship between the specific sport and the characteristics of the injuries recorded in terms of injury type and prevalence among athletes at the Academy for Sports Excellence.

Methods: This study includes a retrospective data collection of the athletes` medical records at Wingate Sports Medicine Clinic from 2005-2011. The follow-up duration was 12 months from the date of joining the Academy. All participants had a similar academic schedule and participated in one of three sports: judo, swimming, or volleyball. A total of 120 athletes between the ages 14-18 (40 participants from each branch) participated.

Results: Judo had the highest incidence of acute and overuse/chronic injuries. Sport type, number of training hours, the history of injuries, abnormal posture characteristics and muscular weakness were associated with the occurrence of injuries. The location of the injuries was associated with each individual sport.

Conclusion: Understanding the incidence of injuries can contribute to prevention of potential future damage. A number of factors have been associated with injuries among young athletes. The specific sport of an athlete is associated with the number of injuries, their type and their anatomical location.