title: Short-Term Absenteeism and Health Care Utilization Due to Lower Extremity Injuries Among Novice Runners: A Prospective Cohort Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe absenteeism and health care utilization (HCU) within 6 weeks after occurrence of running-related injuries (RRIs) among novice runners and to explore differences relating to injury and personal characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand six hundred ninety-six novice runners (18-65 years) participating in a 6-week running program ("Start-to-Run").
  
  
  METHODS
  Injury characteristics were assessed by weekly training logs and personal characteristics by a baseline questionnaire. Data on absenteeism and HCU were collected using questionnaires at 2 and 6 weeks after the RRI occurred.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 185 novice runners (11%) reported an RRI during the 6-week program. Of these injured novice runners, 78% reported absence from sports, whereas only 4% reported absence from work. Fifty-one percent of the injured novice runners visited a health care professional, mostly physical therapists (PTs) rather than physicians. Absenteeism was more common among women than men and was also more common with acute RRIs than gradual-onset RRIs. As regards HCU, both the variety of professionals visited and the number of PT visits were higher among runners with muscle-tendon injuries in the ankle/foot region than among those with other RRIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among novice runners sustaining an RRI during a 6-week running program, over three quarters reported short-term absence from sports, whereas absence from work was very limited, and over half used professional health care. Both absence and HCU are associated with injury characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In future running promotion programs (eg in Start-to-Run programs), specific attention should be paid to acute injuries and to muscle-tendon injuries in the ankle/foot region.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Rehabilitation, Nursing Science & Sports, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; †Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; ‡Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention (ACRISP), Federation University Australia, SMB Campus, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia; §Center for Sports Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; ¶Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; and ‖Departments of Epidemiology and Surgery, Research School CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center+, and Sports Medicine Center Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk-Wouter
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Bionka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huisstede
authors.forename: Evert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Worp
authors.forename: Bas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kluitenberg
authors.forename: Marienke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Middelkoop
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hartgens
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Backx
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012420:Running / Q000293:injuries*