title: Injury patterns in Swedish elite athletics: annual incidence, injury types and risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the incidence, type and severity of musculoskeletal injuries in youth and adult elite athletics athletes and to explore risk factors for sustaining injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study conducted during a 52-week period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male and female youth and adult athletics athletes ranked in the top 10 in Sweden (n=292).
  
  
  RESULTS
  199 (68%) athletes reported an injury during the study season. Ninety-six per cent of the reported injuries were non-traumatic (associated with overuse). Most injuries (51%) were severe, causing a period of absence from normal training exceeding 3 weeks. Log-rank tests revealed risk differences with regard to athlete category (p=0.046), recent previous injury (>3 weeks time-loss; p=0.039) and training load rank index (TLRI; p=0.019). Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that athletes in the third (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.54 to 2.78) and fourth TLRI quartiles (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.74) had almost a twofold increased risk of injury compared with their peers in the first quartile and interaction effects between athlete category and previous injury; youth male athletes with a previous serious injury had more than a fourfold increased risk of injury (HR=4.39; 95% CI 2.20 to 8.77) compared with youth females with no previous injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The injury incidence among both youth and adult elite athletics athletes is high. A training load index combing hours and intensity and a history of severe injury the previous year were predictors for injury. Further studies on measures to quantify training content and protocols for safe return to athletics are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, , Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Timpka
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Sverker
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Joakim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.forename: Örjan
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Dahlström
authors.forename: Per A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Renström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Athletics; Epidemiology; Injury Prevention; Sporting injuries