title: Determination of future prevention strategies in elite track and field: analysis of Daegu 2011 IAAF Championships injuries and illnesses surveillance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence and characteristics of newly incurred injuries and illnesses during international Athletics Championships, by improving the medical surveillance coverage, in order to determine future prevention strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective recording of newly occurred injuries and illnesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  13th International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Athletics 2011 in Daegu, Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  National team and Local Organising Committee physicians; and 1851 registered athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence and characteristics of newly incurred injuries and illnesses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  82% of athletes were covered by medical teams participating with a response rate of 94%. A total of 249 injuries were reported, representing an incidence of 134.5 injuries per 1000 registered athletes, and 119 (48%) resulted in time loss from sport. A total of 185 injuries affected the lower limb (74%). Hamstring strain was the main diagnosis and 67% resulted in absence from sport. Overuse (n=148; 59%) was the predominant cause. A total of 126 illnesses were reported, signifying an incidence of 68.1 per 1000 registered athletes. Upper respiratory tract infection was the most common reported diagnosis (18%), followed by exercise-induced dehydration (12%), and gastroenteritis/diarrhoea (10%). The highest incidences of injuries were found in combined events and middle and long-distance events, and of illness in race walking events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During elite Athletics World Championships, 135 injuries, 60 time-loss injuries and 68 illnesses per 1000 registered athletes were reported. Higher risks of injuries were found in combined events and long-distance runs. Preventive interventions should focus on overuse injuries and hamstring strains, decreasing the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, appropriate event scheduling and heat acclimatisation.
authors.affiliation: RFEA Servicios Médicos, Avenida de Valladolid, 81, 28008-Madrid, Spain. dir.medico@rfea.es
authors.forename: Juan-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Edouard
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischetto
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Depiesse
authors.forename: Margo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mountjoy
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009120:Muscle Cramp / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014142:Track and Field / Q000293:injuries* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult