title: Costs associated with women's physical activity musculoskeletal injuries: the women's injury study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite benefits of physical activity (PA), exercise is also associated with risks. Musculoskeletal injury (MSI) risk increases with exercise frequency/intensity. MSI is associated with costs including medical care and time lost from work.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the economic costs associated with PA-related MSIs in community-dwelling women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 909 women in the Women's Injury Study reporting PA behaviors and MSI incidence weekly via the Internet for up to 3 years (mean follow-up 1.89 years). Participants provided consent to obtain health records. Costs were estimated by medical records and self-reports of medical care. Components included physician visits, medical facility contacts, medication costs, and missed work.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 909 participants, 243 reported 323 episodes of expenditure or contact with the health care system associated with PA. Total costs of episodes ranged from $0-$18,934. Modal cost was $0 (mean = $433 ± $1670). Costs were positively skewed with nearly all participants reporting no or very low costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  About 1 in 4 community-dwelling women who are physically active experienced a PA-related MSI. The majority of injuries were minor, and large expenses associated with MSI were rare. The long-term health benefits and costs savings resulting from PA likely outweigh the minor costs associated with MSI from a physically-active lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Health Services, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Alison K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Laura F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: DeFina
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Morrow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000191:economics*; D002140:California; D004779:Environment Design / Q000191:economics*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D016138:Walking / Q000293:injuries*