Epidemiology of Severe Foot Injuries in US Collegiate Athletes

Background: The effects of foot injuries on collegiate athletes in the United States are of interest because of the short 5-year eligibility period in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Purpose: To discuss the epidemiology of severe NCAA foot injuries sustained over 10 years in 25 sports. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: We utilized the NCAA Injury Surveillance System, which prospectively collects deidentified injury data for collegiate athletes. Severe injuries were classified as season- or career-ending injuries, injuries with >30-day time loss, or injuries requiring operative treatment. Injury rates (IRs) were analyzed per 100,000 athlete-exposures. Results: Of 3607 total foot injuries, 18.71% (n = 675) were classified as severe, with an IR of 5.73 per 100,000 athletic-exposures. For all severe injuries, the operative rate was 24.3%, the season-ending rate 37.0%, and the career-ending rate 4.4%. The proportion of recurrent injuries was 13.9%. Men’s sports with the highest severe foot IRs were basketball (IR = 10.71), indoor track (IR = 7.16), and football (IR = 7.08). Women’s sports with the highest severe foot IRs were cross-country (IR = 17.15), gymnastics (IR = 14.76), and outdoor track (IR = 14.65). Among all severe foot injuries, the most common was a fifth metatarsal fracture. The highest contact/noncontact injury ratios were phalangeal fracture, turf toe, and Lisfranc injury. The severe injuries with the highest operative rates were Lisfranc injuries, fifth metatarsal fractures, and midfoot fractures. The severe injuries associated with the highest season-ending IRs were Lisfranc injury, midfoot fracture, and general metatarsal fractures. Severe flexor/extensor injuries had the highest career-ending IRs, followed by turf toe. Severe injuries with the highest median time loss were sesamoidal fractures, calcaneal fractures, and plantar fascial injuries. Conclusion: Of all collegiate foot injuries sustained over a 10-year period, 18.7% were characterized as severe, and 24.3% of severe injuries required surgery. Basketball was the men’s sport with the highest severe IR, and cross-country was the women’s sport with the highest severe IR. Overall, female athletes experienced slightly higher severe foot IRs as compared with male athletes.

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The Epidemiology of Stress Fractures in Collegiate Student-Athletes, 2004–2005 Through 2013–2014 Academic Years

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-52.8.01 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (10) ◽

pp. 966-975 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Katherine H. Rizzone ◽

Kathryn E. Ackerman ◽

Karen G. Roos ◽

Thomas P. Dompier ◽

Zachary Y. Kerr

Keyword(s):

Stress Fracture ◽

National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Injury Rate ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Stress Fractures ◽

Ice Hockey ◽

Ncaa Athletes ◽

Cross Country

Context: Stress fractures are injuries caused by cumulative, repetitive stress that leads to abnormal bone remodeling. Specific populations, including female athletes and endurance athletes, are at higher risk than the general athletic population. Whereas more than 460 000 individuals participate in collegiate athletics in the United States, no large study has been conducted to determine the incidence of stress fractures in collegiate athletes. Objective: To assess the incidence of stress fractures in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes and investigate rates and patterns overall and by sport. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association institutions. Patients or Other Participants: National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s): Data were analyzed from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program for the academic years 2004–2005 through 2013–2014. We calculated rates and rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 671 stress fractures were reported over 11 778 145 athlete-exposures (AEs) for an overall injury rate of 5.70 per 100 000 AEs. The sports with the highest rates of stress fractures were women's cross-country (28.59/100 000 AEs), women's gymnastics (25.58/100 000 AEs), and women's outdoor track (22.26/100 000 AEs). Among sex-comparable sports (baseball/softball, basketball, cross-country, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track, and outdoor track), stress fracture rates were higher in women (9.13/100 000 AEs) than in men (4.44/100 000 AEs; RR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.71, 2.47). Overall, stress fracture rates for these NCAA athletes were higher in the preseason (7.30/100 000 AEs) than in the regular season (5.12/100 000 AEs; RR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.22, 1.67). The metatarsals (n = 254, 37.9%), tibia (n = 147, 21.9%), and lower back/lumbar spine/pelvis (n = 81, 12.1%) were the most common locations of injury. Overall, 21.5% (n = 144) of stress fractures were recurrent injuries, and 20.7% (n = 139) were season-ending injuries. Conclusions: Women experienced stress fractures at higher rates than men, more often in the preseason, and predominantly in the foot and lower leg. Researchers should continue to investigate biological and biomechanical risk factors for these injuries as well as prevention interventions.

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Epidemiology of Acute Extensor Mechanism Injuries in Collegiate-Level Athletes in the United States

Sports Health A Multidisciplinary Approach ◽

10.1177/19417381211012969 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194173812110129

Author(s):

Kevin K. Chen ◽

Jimmy J. Chan ◽

William Ranson ◽

Nicholas Debellis ◽

Hsin-Hui Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Injury Rate ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Extensor Mechanism ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Severe Injuries ◽

Male Athletes ◽

Collegiate Level

Background: Extensor mechanism injuries involving the quadriceps tendon, patella, or patellar tendon can be a devastating setback for athletes. Despite the potential severity and relative frequency with which these injuries occur, large-scale epidemiological data on collegiate-level athletes are lacking. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Knee extensor mechanism injuries across 16 sports among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men and women during the 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 academic years were analyzed using the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP). Extensor mechanism injuries per 100,000 athlete-exposures (AEs), operative rate, annual injury and reinjury rates, in-season status (pre-/regular/postseason), and time lost were compiled and calculated. Results: A total of 11,778,265 AEs were identified and included in the study. Overall, 1,748 extensor mechanism injuries were identified, with an injury rate (IR) of 14.84 (per 100,000 AEs). N = 114 (6.5%) injuries were classified as severe injuries with a relatively higher median time loss (44 days) and operative risk (18.42%). Male athletes had higher risk of season-ending injuries in both all (3.20% vs 0.89%, P < 0.01) and severe (41.54% vs 16.33%, P < 0.01) extensor mechanism injuries. Similarly, contact injuries were more frequently season-ending injuries (4.44% vs 1.69%, P = 0.01). Women’s soccer (IR = 2.59), women’s field hockey (IR = 2.15), and women’s cross country (IR = 2.14) were the sports with the highest rate of severe extensor mechanism injuries. Conclusion: Extensor mechanism injuries in collegiate athletes represent a significant set of injuries both in terms of volume and potentially to their athletic careers. Male athletes and contact injuries appear to have a greater risk of severe injuries. Injuries defined as severe had a higher risk of operative intervention and greater amount of missed playing time. Clinical Relevance: Knowledge of the epidemiology of extensor mechanism injuries may help clinicians guide their athlete patients in sports-related injury prevention and management.

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Epidemiology of Operative Foot injuries in College Level Athletes

Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics ◽

10.1177/2473011419s00135 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 2473011419S0013

Author(s):

Jimmy J. Chan ◽

Kevin K. Chen ◽

Javier Z. Guzman ◽

Ettore Vulcano

Keyword(s):

Female Athletes ◽

Injury Rate ◽

College Level ◽

Time Loss ◽

Foot Injuries ◽

Injury Rates ◽

Foot Injury ◽

Ncaa Athletes ◽

Multiple Variables ◽

Lisfranc Injuries

Category: Hindfoot, Lesser Toes, Midfoot/Forefoot, Sports, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Foot injuries represent a broad category of injuries that may have profound implications in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes. Accordingly, a more thorough characterization of these injuries and what predisposes NCAA athletes to them is crucial to their prevention. This study examines the incidence and effect of foot injuries on NCAA athletes and their athletic season. Methods: Foot injuries across 16 sports among men and women during the 2004-05 to 2013-14 academic years were analyzed from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP). Three common orthopaedic foot injuries were sub-analyzed, including fifth metatarsal injuries (5MT), Lisfranc injuries, and turf toes. Multiple variables were reported including injury rates per 100,000 athlete-exposures (IR), operative rate, annual injury rate trends, re-injury rates, in-season status (pre/in/post-season) at time of injury, and time loss distributions were compiled and calculated. Results: A total of 3718 foot injuries were identified over 10-year period. 4.4% of all injuries were operative. Overall foot injury rate was comparable between male (IR=31.1) and female athletes (IR=32.4); however, the operative injury rate was greater in male compared to female (IR=2.0 vs. 0.6) athletes. The top three operative injuries were 5MT (45.1%), stress fractures (12.2%), and Lisfranc injuries (7.9%). 10.8% of turf toes are re-injury, and average time loss was 7.0 days. 43% of 5MT injuries were operative, and 19.2% were re-injuries. 40.6% of 5MT injuries were season-ending with an average time loss of 36.5 days. 33% of Lisfranc injuries were operative, and 7.5% were re-injuries. 45.9% of Lisfranc injuries were season-ending with an average time loss of 25.9 days. Conclusion: Foot injuries are among the most common form of injuries that occur in NCAA athletics. In addition, these injuries can sometimes lead to significant loss of playing time and may even result in the end of the athlete’s season or career. Certain NCAA sports such as men’s football and basketball may more likely predispose patients to season ending injuries and require operative fixation. Close examination of the kinds of foot injuries and their respective mechanisms may help elucidate trends useful in the development of various prevention strategies.

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Youth Football Injuries: A Prospective Cohort

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967116686784 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 232596711668678 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Andrew R. Peterson ◽

Adam J. Kruse ◽

Scott M. Meester ◽

Tyler S. Olson ◽

Benjamin N. Riedle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Proportional Hazards ◽

Injury Rate ◽

The United States ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Time Loss ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Severe Injuries ◽

Injury Rates ◽

Youth Football ◽

Tackle Football

Background: There are approximately 2.8 million youth football players between the ages of 7 and 14 years in the United States. Rates of injury in this population are poorly described. Recent studies have reported injury rates between 2.3% and 30.4% per season and between 8.5 and 43 per 1000 exposures. Hypothesis: Youth flag football has a lower injury rate than youth tackle football. The concussion rates in flag football are lower than in tackle football. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Three large youth (grades 2-7) football leagues with a total of 3794 players were enrolled. Research personnel partnered with the leagues to provide electronic attendance and injury reporting systems. Researchers had access to deidentified player data and injury information. Injury rates for both the tackle and flag leagues were calculated and compared using Poisson regression with a log link. The probability an injury was severe and an injury resulted in a concussion were modeled using logistic regression. For these 2 responses, best subset model selection was performed, and the model with the minimum Akaike information criterion value was chosen as best. Kaplan-Meier curves were examined to compare time loss due to injury for various subgroups of the population. Finally, time loss was modeled using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: A total of 46,416 exposures and 128 injuries were reported. The mean age at injury was 10.64 years. The hazard ratio for tackle football (compared with flag football) was 0.45 (95% CI, 0.25-0.80; P = .0065). The rate of severe injuries per exposure for tackle football was 1.1 (95% CI, 0.33-3.4; P = .93) times that of the flag league. The rate for concussions in tackle football per exposure was 0.51 (95% CI, 0.16-1.7; P = .27) times that of the flag league. Conclusion: Injury is more likely to occur in youth flag football than in youth tackle football. Severe injuries and concussions were not significantly different between leagues. Concussion was more likely to occur during games than during practice. Players in the sixth or seventh grade were more likely to suffer a concussion than were younger players.

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Epidemiology of Achilles Tendon Injuries in Collegiate Level Athletes in the United States

Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics ◽

10.1177/2473011419s00134 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 2473011419S0013

Author(s):

Jimmy J. Chan ◽

Kevin K. Chen ◽

Javier Z. Guzman ◽

Ettore Vulcano

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Tendon Rupture ◽

Achilles Tendon Rupture ◽

Injury Rate ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Tendon Injuries ◽

Time Loss ◽

Contact Sports ◽

Tendon Ruptures

Category: Hindfoot, Sports, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Achilles tendon rupture is a potentially devastating injury particularly for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes. Little has been studied regarding the incidence and implications of Achilles tendon ruptures in this patient population. Better characterization of the factors commonly found in athletes who rupture their Achilles may provide clues to aid in their prevention. Methods: Achilles injuries across 16 sports among NCAA men and women during the 2004-05 to 2013-14 academic years were analyzed using the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP). Achilles tendon rupture rates per 100,000 athlete-exposures (IR), operative rate, annual injury rate trends, re-injury rates, mechanism of injury, in-season status (pre/in/post-season) and time loss distributions were compiled and calculated. A sub-analysis of contact sports and sports played by both genders (C-BG) was performed to determine if there were significant differences in risks in patients who played in contact sports. Results: N=255 Achilles tendon injuries were identified over 10 academic years (IR: 2.17). The injury rate was higher in males compared to females (IR=2.33 vs. 1.89 respectively). Achilles injuries were most common in Men’s Basketball (IR=4.26), Soccer (IR=3.06), and Football (IR=2.69). The top three women’s sports with Achilles injury were Gymnastics (IR=16.73), Basketball (IR=3.32), and Soccer (IR=1.81). Thirty-three injuries were operative (13.1%) and 14.9% (N=38) were season-ending injuries. The average time loss was 10.65 days when excluding patients who had season/career ending injuries. Reinjury rate was 11.0% (N=28). 61.2% of all injuries occurred during the regular season (N=156) with 36.0% (N=92) and 2.7% (N=7) occurring in pre- and post- season, respectively. There was a significantly greater number of injuries in contact (N=198) versus non-contact sports (N=50) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Achilles tendon ruptures can be devastating injuries in professional and collegiate athletes. In our study, nearly 15% of all NCAA Achilles tendon ruptures resulted in season ending injuries or significant time loss and over 13% of injuries required operative management with a majority of injuries occurring during practice. In addition, a significantly higher proportion of athletes who played a contact sport had Achilles injuries. Better understanding of what circumstances more often tend to result in Achilles injuries can help establish prevention strategies.

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Epidemiological Patterns of Patellofemoral Injuries in Collegiate Athletes in the United States From 2009 to 2014

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967119840712 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 232596711984071 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jeffrey D. Trojan ◽

Joshua A. Treloar ◽

Christopher M. Smith ◽

Matthew J. Kraeutler ◽

Mary K. Mulcahey

Keyword(s):

Sports Medicine ◽

National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Patellar Subluxation ◽

Rate Ratios ◽

Women's Volleyball

Background: As many as 30% of patients with knee pain seen in sports medicine clinics have complaints related to the patellofemoral joint. There is a paucity of research available regarding patellofemoral injuries, mechanism of injury, and playing time lost in collegiate athletes. Purpose: To describe the rates, mechanisms, severity, and potential sex-based differences of patellofemoral injuries in collegiate athletes across 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Data from the 2009-2010 through the 2013-2014 academic years were obtained from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program and were analyzed to calculate patellofemoral injury rates, mechanisms of injury, time lost, and need for surgery. Rate ratios and injury proportion ratios were used to quantify discernible differences between sex-comparable sports and timing of injury (ie, practice vs competition), respectively. Results: The overall patellofemoral injury incidence rate was 16.10 per 100,000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Women’s volleyball had the highest incidence of all sports (39.57 per 100,000 AEs). Injuries were 66% more likely to occur in competition than during practice. Female athletes experienced significantly more patellofemoral injuries than males in similar sports. Patellar tendinitis accounted for 49.2% of all patellofemoral injuries and was the most common injury in 20 of 25 studied sports. Patellar subluxation accounted for the most total days missed, and patellar dislocation had the highest mean days missed per injury (11.42 days). Patella fracture was the most likely injury to require surgery (80%). Conclusion: Patellofemoral injuries were most common in sports that require jumping and quick changes of direction, specifically women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s soccer. The majority of patellofemoral injuries in this cohort were classified as patellar tendinitis caused by overuse. Most injuries resulted in no competition or practice time lost. This information may contribute to the development of prevention programs aimed at addressing the most prevalent types and mechanisms of injury in each sport to reduce the incidence of patellofemoral injury in these athletes.

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Epidemiological profile of pain and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug use in collegiate athletes in the United States

10.21203/rs.3.rs-29931/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shefali Christopher ◽

Bailey A Tadlock ◽

Bryanna J Veroneau ◽

Christopher Harnish ◽

Nirmala KP Perera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Male Athletes ◽

Inflammatory Drug ◽

Incidence Proportion ◽

Anti Inflammatory ◽

Epidemiological Profile

Abstract Background Although athletic endeavours are associated with a high amount of physical stress and injury, the prevalence of pain is underreported in the sports medicine literature with only a few studies reporting pain on collegiate athletes or exploring sex difference of pain. Impact of pain on athlete availability, training and performance can be mitigated when key epidemiological information is used to inform adequate pain management strategies.This study aims to 1) provide an epidemiological profile of self-reported pain experienced by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes by sex during the first half of the 2019 season, 2) describe their self-reported non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use. Methods Online survey was completed by athletes at three NCAA institutions from 1 August to 30 September 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to describe player demographic data, self-reported pain and self-reported NSAID use. Pain incidence proportion were calculated. Results 230 female athletes and 83 male athletes completed the survey. Self-reported pain incidence proportion for female athletes was 45.0 (95% CI 41.5-48.5) vs 34.9 (95% CI 29.4-40.4) for male athletes. Majority of the athletes did not report pain (55% female vs 62% male) during the first half of the 2019 season. Female athletes reported pain in their back (35%), knee (26%), and ankle/foot (23%) whilst male athletes reported pain in their knee (35%), back (28%), and shoulder (24%). Of all athletes, 28% female vs 20% male athletes reported currently taking NSAIDs. Of athletes that reported pain, 46% female vs 38% male athletes currently took NSAIDs. 70% female vs 61% male athletes self-purchased NSAIDs, and 40% female vs 55% male athletes consumed alcohol. Conclusions Half of female athletes and one in three male athletes reported pain. Most commonly back, knee and foot/ankle pain and knee, back and shoulder pain was reported in female and male athletes respectively. One in four female athletes and one in five male athletes use NSAIDs for pain or prophylactic purpose. Majority self-purchase these medications indicating need for health literacy interventions to mitigate potential adverse effects.

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Water Ski Injuries and Chronic Pain in Collegiate Athletes

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18083939 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 3939

Author(s):

Hyun Chul Jung ◽

Hanna Straltsova ◽

Michael A. Woodgate ◽

Kyung-Min Kim ◽

Jung-Min Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Body Region ◽

Common Mechanism ◽

Male Athletes ◽

Injury Rates ◽

Significance Level ◽

Body Regions

This study examined the rate of injuries and chronic pain in collegiate water-ski athletes as a preliminary study. We also compared the mechanics and cause of injuries by the level of water-skiing experiences. A total number of 96 collegiate water-ski athletes, aged 21.4 ± 2.23 years, participated in the study. An off-line questionnaire was distributed at the collegiate tournaments in the United States. The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions, including demographic information, body region and type of injuries, mechanics and cause of injuries, chronic pain and pain management. A Chi-squared test was used to examine the differences in injury rates by sex and the level of experiences (beginner: <5 years, intermediate: 5–10 years, advanced: <10 years). The significance level was set at ≤0.05. A total of 336 water skiing-related injuries were observed from 96 participants. The ankle/feet, knee, and head/neck regions were the most common body regions injured, representing 26.5, 16.7, and 15.8%, respectively. Female athletes were more likely to have nerve injuries than male athletes (p = 0.039). The intermediate athletes were more likely to have trunk (p = 0.047) and upper extremity (p = 0.042) injuries than beginner athletes, and the beginner athletes had less joint/ligament (p = 0.001) and bone injury (p = 0.010) compared to the advanced athletes. Torsion/twisting (32.8%) and deceleration (26.9%) were the most common mechanism of injury. Beginner athletes experienced injuries more due to insufficient skill (p = 0.03), while the advanced athletes were likely to have more injuries by the loss of control (p = 0.01). Collegiate athletes had higher rates of chronic pain in the trunk (42.7%) and skeletal muscle (43.8%), and they participated in stretching/exercise (40.8%) and massage/form rolling (29.6%) to manage their chronic pain. The present study revealed that injury rates in males and females were 49.7% and 50.2%, respectively. Female athletes were more likely to have a nerve injury than male athletes. The mechanics and cause of injuries were different by the level of experiences where different training approaches may be required to minimize the injuries. Additionally, the strength and conditioning program that is systematically designed for core strength is needed to eliminate chronic trunk pain in collegiate water-skiing athletes.

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Epidemiological profile of pain and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug use in collegiate athletes in the United States

10.21203/rs.3.rs-29931/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shefali Christopher ◽

Bailey A Tadlock ◽

Bryanna J Veroneau ◽

Christopher Harnish ◽

Nirmala KP Perera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

The United States ◽

Male Athletes ◽

Inflammatory Drug ◽

Incidence Proportion ◽

Anti Inflammatory ◽

Epidemiological Profile

Abstract Background: Although athletic endeavours are associated with a high amount of physical stress and injury, the prevalence of pain is underreported in the sports medicine literature with only a few studies reporting pain on collegiate athletes or exploring sex difference of pain. Impact of pain on athlete availability, training and performance can be mitigated when key epidemiological information is used to inform adequate pain management strategies.To 1) provide an epidemiological profile of self-reported pain experienced by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes by sex during the first half of the 2019 season, 2) describe their self-reported non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use.Methods: Online survey was completed by athletes at three NCAA institutions from 1 August to 30 September 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to describe player demographic data, self-reported pain and self-reported NSAID use. Pain incidence proportion were calculated.Results: 230 female athletes and 83 male athletes completed the survey. Self-reported pain incidence proportion for female athletes was 45.0 (95% CI 41.5-48.5) vs 34.9 (95% CI 29.4-40.4) for male athletes. Majority of the athletes did not report pain (55% female vs 62% male) during the first half of the 2019 season. Female athletes reported pain in their back (35%), knee (26%), and ankle/foot (23%) whilst male athletes reported pain in their knee (35%), back (28%), and shoulder (24%). Of all athletes, 28% female vs 20% male athletes reported currently taking NSAIDs. Of athletes that reported pain, 46% female vs 38% male athletes currently took NSAIDs. 70% female vs 61% male athletes self-purchased NSAIDs, and 40% female vs 55% male athletes consumed alcohol.Conclusions: Half of female athletes and one in three male athletes reported pain. Back, knee and foot/ankle pain and knee, back and shoulder pain is common in female and male athletes respectively. One in four female athletes and one in five male athletes use NSAIDs for pain or prophylactic purpose. Majority self-purchase these medications indicating need for health literacy interventions to mitigate potential adverse effects.

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Copper Status of Collegiate Female Athletes Involved in Different Sports

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism ◽

10.1123/ijsnem.13.3.343 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 343-357 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Sareen S. Gropper ◽

L. Michelle Sorrels ◽

Daniel Blessing

Keyword(s):

Female Athletes ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

Serum Copper ◽

Normal Range ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Copper Status ◽

Athletic Teams ◽

Female Collegiate Athletes ◽

Cross Country ◽

Collegiate Female Athletes

Copper status was assessed in 70 female collegiate athletes aged 18 to 25 years participating in cross country track, tennis, softball, swimming, soccer, basketball, and gymnastics during the 2000–2001 season. A group of 8 college-aged females, 20 to 23 years of age, who were not collegiate athletes, served as controls. Mean copper intakes including supplements did not differ significantly among the controls and athletic teams. Mean copper intakes including supplements as micrograms/day and percent recommended dietary allowance (RDA) were as follows: controls 1071 ± 772 μg (119 ± 86%), cross country track 1468 ± 851 μg (163 ± 95%), tennis 1099 ± 856 μg (122 ± 95%), softball 654 ± 420 μg (73 ± 47%), swimming 1351 ± 1060 μg (150 ± 118%), soccer 695 ± 368 μg (77 ± 41%), and gymnastics 940 ± 863 μg (104 ± 96%). Forty-one percent of athletes and 29% of controls failed to consume two thirds of the RDA for copper. Mean serum copper and ceruloplasmin concentrations were within the normal range and did not differ significantly among the controls (117 ± 22 μg/dl, 445 ± 122 μg/L) and cross country track (98 ± 17 μg/dl, 312 ± 59 μg/L), tennis (140 ± 84 μg/dl, 424 ± 244 μg/L), softball (95 ± 30 μg/dl, 310 ± 77 μg/L), swimming (98 ± 25 μg/dl, 312 ± 40 μg/L), soccer (93 ± 15 μg/dl, 324 ± 54 μg/ L), basketball (85 ± 10 μg/dl, 280 ± 62 μg/L), and gymnastics (96 ± 21 μg/dl, 315 ± 68 μg/L) teams. Copper status of female collegiate athletes appears to be adequate in this cross-sectional assessment.

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