Premium
Analysis of sex‐specific injury patterns and risk factors in young high‐level athletes
Author(s) -
Frisch A.,
Seil R.,
Urhausen A.,
Croisier J. L.,
Lair M. L.,
Theisen D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00860.x
Subject(s) - athletes , medicine , context (archaeology) , odds ratio , physical therapy , injury prevention , poison control , demography , risk factor , logistic regression , emergency medicine , paleontology , sociology , biology
This study analyzed sex‐specific injury patterns and risk factors in young athletes ( n =256) from 12 sport disciplines practicing at the national or the international level in the Grand‐Duchy of Luxembourg. Injury occurrence as a result of sport practice was analyzed retrospectively over the year 2006 using a standardized self‐administered questionnaire. Overall incidence was not different between girls and boys (1.20 and 1.21 injuries/1000 athlete‐hours, respectively), but in the context of team sport competition girls tended to be at a greater risk (rate ratio 2.05, P =0.053). Girls had a higher proportion of injuries in the ankle/foot region compared with boys (34.8% vs 16.8%). No sex‐related differences were found regarding injury severity. Multivariate logistic regression (controlling for age and practice volume) revealed that girls' team sports were associated with a greater injury risk compared with individual sports [odds ratio (OR) of 4.76], while in boys this was observed for racket sports (OR=3.31). Furthermore, physical or emotional stress tended to be a specific risk factor in girls. There was a tendency for injury outside sports to be coupled to a higher injury risk in girls and boys. Consideration of sex‐specific injury patterns and risk factors could be of importance for effective injury prevention.