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

Abstract

The aim of the study was to record the extent of lower limb overuse problems in highly trained track and field athletes during the 12 weeks of their preparation for national and international athletics championships. 21 highly trained track and field athletes (10 males: height 188.4 ± 6.8 cm; weight 79.9 ± 5.4 kg; BMI 22.5 ± 0.9; training hours per week 7.78 ± 2.37; 11 females: height 174.1 ± 7.9 cm; weight 61.7 ± 5.8 kg; BMI 20.4 ± 1.4; training hours per week 6.28 ± 2.76) from the national team volunteered to participate. The study was a prospective cohort study during which the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire was distributed weekly to all athletes for 12 weeks from May 2015 to August 2015. The two most prevalent overuse problems reported in our study group were hamstring and lower back area problems. On average, 64% of athletes in the present study group suffered from an overuse problem to ankle, hamstring, groin, knee or low back at any given time. The results of the study show that lower limb overuse injuries are too frequent in track and field athletes, and many athletes still train and compete through these injuries. Therefore, it is very important for athletes’ long-term health to regularly monitor their health problems in order to start preventing them.