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Objectives: To analyse the association between pre-participation health status and in-championships injuries in a large dataset from seven international athletics championships, and to determine the health status of athletes during the four weeks before the start of international athletics championships. Design: Prospective cohort study.Methods: We used data collected from athletes of national teams with medical staff who participated i) in a pre -participation health survey (retrospective data collection) and ii) in an in-championships injury surveillance (prospective data collection) during seven international athletics championships (2013-2018). We performed a binomial logistic regression with in-championship injury (yes/no) as the dependent variable and sex, age, discipline (explosive/endurance), type of championships (outdoor/indoor) and pre-participation injury com-plaint (yes/no) and pre-participation illness complaint (yes/no) as independent variables, with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).Results: Out of the 1095 athletes included 31.2% reported an injury complaint during the 4 weeks before the championships and 21.6% an illness complaint. The univariate model showed that discipline, type of champion-ships and pre-participation injury complaints (OR = 2.57, 95%CI: 1.66 to 3.97) were significantly associated with in-championships injuries, and the multivariable model showed that type of championships and pre -participation injury complaints (OR = 2.64, 95%CI: 1.60 to 4.36) remained significantly associated with in -championships injuries.Conclusions: Our present study shows that an injury complaint during the four weeks before an international ath-letics championship significantly increased risk of sustaining an injury during the following championship, which was reported by about one third of athletes with differences between sex and disciplines. (c) 2022 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International outdoor athletics championships are typically hosted during the summer season, frequently in hot and humid climatic conditions. Therefore, we analyzed the association between apparent temperature and heat-related illnesses occurrence during international outdoor athletics championships and compared its incidence rates between athletics disciplines. Heat-related illnesses were selected from illness data prospectively collected at seven international outdoor athletics championships between 2009 and 2018 using a standardized methodology. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was calculated as a measure of the apparent temperature based on weather data for each day of the championships. Heat-related illness numbers and (daily) incidence rates were calculated and analyzed in relation to the daily maximum UTCI temperature and between disciplines. During 50 championships days with UTCI temperatures between 15celcius and 37celcius, 132 heat-related illnesses were recorded. Average incidence rate of heat-related illnesses was 11.7 (95%CI 9.7 to 13.7) per 1000 registered athletes. The expected daily incidence rate of heat-related illnesses increased significantly with UTCI temperature (0.12 more illnesses per 1000 registered athletes/degrees C; 95%CI 0.08-0.16) and was found to double from 25 to 35 degrees C UTCI. Race walkers (RR = 45.5, 95%CI 21.6-96.0) and marathon runners (RR = 47.7, 95%CI 23.0-98.8) had higher heat-related illness rates than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Higher UTCI temperatures were associated with more heat-related illnesses, with marathon and race walking athletes having higher risk than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Heat-related illness prevention strategies should predominantly focus on marathon and race walking events of outdoor athletics championships when high temperatures are forecast.

International outdoor athletics championships are typically hosted during the summer season, frequently in hot and humid climatic conditions. Therefore, we analyzed the association between apparent temperature and heat-related illnesses occurrence during international outdoor athletics championships and compared its incidence rates between athletics disciplines. Heat-related illnesses were selected from illness data prospectively collected at seven international outdoor athletics championships between 2009 and 2018 using a standardized methodology. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was calculated as a measure of the apparent temperature based on weather data for each day of the championships. Heat-related illness numbers and (daily) incidence rates were calculated and analyzed in relation to the daily maximum UTCI temperature and between disciplines. During 50 championships days with UTCI temperatures between 15celcius and 37celcius, 132 heat-related illnesses were recorded. Average incidence rate of heat-related illnesses was 11.7 (95%CI 9.7 to 13.7) per 1000 registered athletes. The expected daily incidence rate of heat-related illnesses increased significantly with UTCI temperature (0.12 more illnesses per 1000 registered athletes/degrees C; 95%CI 0.08-0.16) and was found to double from 25 to 35 degrees C UTCI. Race walkers (RR = 45.5, 95%CI 21.6-96.0) and marathon runners (RR = 47.7, 95%CI 23.0-98.8) had higher heat-related illness rates than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Higher UTCI temperatures were associated with more heat-related illnesses, with marathon and race walking athletes having higher risk than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Heat-related illness prevention strategies should predominantly focus on marathon and race walking events of outdoor athletics championships when high temperatures are forecast.

International outdoor athletics championships are typically hosted during the summer season, frequently in hot and humid climatic conditions. Therefore, we analyzed the association between apparent temperature and heat-related illnesses occurrence during international outdoor athletics championships and compared its incidence rates between athletics disciplines. Heat-related illnesses were selected from illness data prospectively collected at seven international outdoor athletics championships between 2009 and 2018 using a standardized methodology. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was calculated as a measure of the apparent temperature based on weather data for each day of the championships. Heat-related illness numbers and (daily) incidence rates were calculated and analyzed in relation to the daily maximum UTCI temperature and between disciplines. During 50 championships days with UTCI temperatures between 15celcius and 37celcius, 132 heat-related illnesses were recorded. Average incidence rate of heat-related illnesses was 11.7 (95%CI 9.7 to 13.7) per 1000 registered athletes. The expected daily incidence rate of heat-related illnesses increased significantly with UTCI temperature (0.12 more illnesses per 1000 registered athletes/degrees C; 95%CI 0.08-0.16) and was found to double from 25 to 35 degrees C UTCI. Race walkers (RR = 45.5, 95%CI 21.6-96.0) and marathon runners (RR = 47.7, 95%CI 23.0-98.8) had higher heat-related illness rates than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Higher UTCI temperatures were associated with more heat-related illnesses, with marathon and race walking athletes having higher risk than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Heat-related illness prevention strategies should predominantly focus on marathon and race walking events of outdoor athletics championships when high temperatures are forecast.

International outdoor athletics championships are typically hosted during the summer season, frequently in hot and humid climatic conditions. Therefore, we analyzed the association between apparent temperature and heat-related illnesses occurrence during international outdoor athletics championships and compared its incidence rates between athletics disciplines. Heat-related illnesses were selected from illness data prospectively collected at seven international outdoor athletics championships between 2009 and 2018 using a standardized methodology. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was calculated as a measure of the apparent temperature based on weather data for each day of the championships. Heat-related illness numbers and (daily) incidence rates were calculated and analyzed in relation to the daily maximum UTCI temperature and between disciplines. During 50 championships days with UTCI temperatures between 15celcius and 37celcius, 132 heat-related illnesses were recorded. Average incidence rate of heat-related illnesses was 11.7 (95%CI 9.7 to 13.7) per 1000 registered athletes. The expected daily incidence rate of heat-related illnesses increased significantly with UTCI temperature (0.12 more illnesses per 1000 registered athletes/degrees C; 95%CI 0.08-0.16) and was found to double from 25 to 35 degrees C UTCI. Race walkers (RR = 45.5, 95%CI 21.6-96.0) and marathon runners (RR = 47.7, 95%CI 23.0-98.8) had higher heat-related illness rates than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Higher UTCI temperatures were associated with more heat-related illnesses, with marathon and race walking athletes having higher risk than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Heat-related illness prevention strategies should predominantly focus on marathon and race walking events of outdoor athletics championships when high temperatures are forecast.

International outdoor athletics championships are typically hosted during the summer season, frequently in hot and humid climatic conditions. Therefore, we analyzed the association between apparent temperature and heat-related illnesses occurrence during international outdoor athletics championships and compared its incidence rates between athletics disciplines. Heat-related illnesses were selected from illness data prospectively collected at seven international outdoor athletics championships between 2009 and 2018 using a standardized methodology. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was calculated as a measure of the apparent temperature based on weather data for each day of the championships. Heat-related illness numbers and (daily) incidence rates were calculated and analyzed in relation to the daily maximum UTCI temperature and between disciplines. During 50 championships days with UTCI temperatures between 15celcius and 37celcius, 132 heat-related illnesses were recorded. Average incidence rate of heat-related illnesses was 11.7 (95%CI 9.7 to 13.7) per 1000 registered athletes. The expected daily incidence rate of heat-related illnesses increased significantly with UTCI temperature (0.12 more illnesses per 1000 registered athletes/degrees C; 95%CI 0.08-0.16) and was found to double from 25 to 35 degrees C UTCI. Race walkers (RR = 45.5, 95%CI 21.6-96.0) and marathon runners (RR = 47.7, 95%CI 23.0-98.8) had higher heat-related illness rates than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Higher UTCI temperatures were associated with more heat-related illnesses, with marathon and race walking athletes having higher risk than athletes competing in short-duration disciplines. Heat-related illness prevention strategies should predominantly focus on marathon and race walking events of outdoor athletics championships when high temperatures are forecast.

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Objective To analyse differences between athletic disciplines in the frequency and characteristics of injuries during international athletics championships. Methods Study design, injury definition and data collection procedures were similar during the 14 international championships (2007-2018). National medical teams and local organising committee physicians reported all newly incurred injuries daily on a standardised injury report form. Results were presented as number of injuries and number of injuries per 1000 registered athletes, separately for male and female athletes, and for each discipline. Results From a total of 8925 male and 7614 female registered athletes, 928 injuries were reported in male and 597 in female athletes. The discipline accounting for the highest proportion of injuries was sprints, for both men (24%) and women (26%). The number of injuries per 1000 registered athletes varied between disciplines for men and women: highest in combined events for male athletes (235 (95% CI 189 to 281)) and female athletes (212 (95% CI 166 to 257)), and lowest for male throwers (47 (95% CI 35 to 59)) and female throwers (32 (95% CI 21 to 43)) and for female race walkers (42 (95% CI 19 to 66)). Injury characteristics varied significantly between disciplines for location, type, cause and severity in male and female athletes. Thigh muscle injuries were the main diagnoses in the disciplines sprints, hurdles, jumps, combined events and race walking, lower leg muscle injuries in marathon running, lower leg skin injury in middle and long distance running, and trunk muscle and lower leg muscle injuries in throws. Conclusions Injury characteristics differed substantially between disciplines during international athletics championships. Strategies for medical service provision (eg, staff, facilities) during athletics championships should be discipline specific and be prepared for targeting the main injuries in each discipline.

Background Illnesses impair athletes’ participation and performance. The epidemiology of illness in athletics is limited. Objective To describe the occurrence and characteristics of illnesses during international athletics championships (indoor and outdoor), and to analyse differences with regards to athletes’ sex and participation in explosive and endurance disciplines. Methods During 11 international championships held between 2009 and 2017, physicians from both national medical teams and the local organising committees reported daily on all athlete illnesses using a standardised report form. Illness frequencies, incidence proportions (IPs) and rates (IRs), and relative risks (RR) with 95% CIs were calculated. Results During the 59 days of the 11 athletics championships, 546 illnesses were recorded in the 12 594 registered athletes equivalent to IP of 43.4 illnesses per 1000 registered athletes (95% CI 39.8 to 46.9) or IR of 1.2 per 1000 registered athlete days (95% CI 1.1 to 1.2). The most frequently reported illnesses were upper respiratory tract infections (18.7%), exercise-induced fatigue/hypotension/collapse (15.4%) and gastroenteritis (13.2%). No myocardial infarction was recorded. A total of 28.8% of illnesses were expected to lead to time loss from sport. The illness IP was similar in male and female athletes, with few differences in illness characteristics. During outdoor championships, the illness IP was higher in endurance than explosive disciplines (RR=1.87; 95% CI 1.58 to 2.23), with a considerably higher IP of exercise-induced illness in endurance disciplines, but a similar upper respiratory tract infection IP in both discipline groups. Conclusions Illness prevention strategies during international athletics championships should be focused on the most frequent diagnoses in each discipline group.

This study set out to identify factors critical for the usability of electronic data collection in association with championships in individual sports. A qualitative analysis of electronic data collection system usability for collection of data on pre-participation health from athletes and in-competition injury and illness from team physicians was performed during the 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships. A total of 15 athletes and team physicians participated. Athletes were found to experience few problems interacting with the electronic data collection system, but reported concerns about having to reflect on injury and illness before competitions and the medical terminology used. Team physicians encountered problems when first navigating through the module for clinical reporting, but they were not subjected to motivational problems. We conclude that athletes motivation to self-report health data and the design of the human-computer interface for team physicians are key issues for the usability of electronic data collection systems in association with championships in individual sports., Funding Agencies|Swedish Center for Sports Research (CIF) [FO2014-0048, P2014-0167]

Objectives: The quality of epidemiological injury data depends on the reliability of reporting to an injury surveillance system. Ascertaining whether all physicians/physiotherapists report the same information for the same injury case is of major interest to determine data validity. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse the data collection reliability through the analysis of the interrater reliability. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: During the 2016 European Athletics Advanced Athletics Medicine Course in Amsterdam, all national medical teams were asked to complete seven virtual case reports on a standardised injury report form using the same definitions and classifications of injuries as the international athletics championships injury surveillance protocol. The completeness of data and the Fleiss kappa coefficients for the inter-rater reliability were calculated for: sex, age, event, circumstance, location, type, assumed cause and estimated time-loss. Results: Forty-one team physicians and physiotherapists of national medical teams participated in the study (response rate 89.1%). Data completeness was 96.9%. The Fleiss kappa coefficients were: almost perfect for sex (k = 1), injury location (k = 0.991), event (k = 0.953), circumstance (k = 0,942), and age = 0.870), moderate for type (k = 0.507), fair for assumed cause (k = 0.394), and poor for estimated time loss (k = 0.155). Conclusions: The injury surveillance system used during international athletics championships provided reliable data for "sex", "location", "event", "circumstance", and "age". More caution should be taken for "assumed cause" and "type", and even more for "estimated time-loss". This injury surveillance system displays satisfactory data quality (reliable data and high data completeness), and thus, can be recommended as tool to collect epidemiology information on injuries during international athletics championships. (C) 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd, Funding Agencies|European Athletics

Objective To describe the criteria used to guide clinical decision-making regarding when a patient is ready to return to running (RTR) after ACL reconstruction. Design Scoping review. Data sources The MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, PEDro, SPORT Discus and Cochrane Library electronic databases. We also screened the reference lists of included studies and conducted forward citation tracking. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Reported at least one criterion for permitting adult patients with primary ACL reconstruction to commence running postoperatively. Results 201 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and reported 205 time-based criteria for RTR. The median time from when RTR was permitted was 12 postoperative weeks (IQR=3.3, range 5-39 weeks). Fewer than one in five studies used additional clinical, strength or performance-based criteria for decision-making regarding RTR. Aside from time, the most frequently reported criteria for RTR were: full knee range of motion or amp;gt;95% of the non-injured knee plus no pain or pain amp;lt;2 on visual analogue scale; isometric extensor limb symmetry index (LSI)amp;gt; 70% plus extensor and flexor LSIamp;gt; 70%; and hop test LSIamp;gt; 70%. Conclusions Fewer than one in five studies reported clinical, strength or performance-based criteria for RTR even though best evidence recommends performance-based criteria combined with time-based criteria to commence running activities following ACL reconstruction.

Objectives To determine preparticipation predictors of injury and illness at a major Athletics championship. Methods A cohort study design was used. Before the 2015 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Athletics, all 207 registered national teams were approached about partaking in a study of preparticipation health; 50 teams accepted. The athletes (n=957) in the participating teams were invited to complete a preparticipation health questionnaire (PHQ). New injuries and illnesses that occurred at the championships were prospectively recorded. Logistic regression analyses were performed with simple and multiple models using any in-championship injury and in-championship illness as outcomes. Results The PHQ was completed by 307 (32.1%) of the invited athletes; 116 athletes (38.3%) reported an injury symptom during the month before the championships, while 40 athletes (13%) reported an illness symptom. 20 (6.5%) of the participating athletes sustained a health problem during the championships. Endurance athletes were almost 10-fold more likely to sustain an in-championship illness than speed/power athletes (OR, 9.88; 95% CI 1.20 to 81.31; p=0.033). Participants reporting a preparticipation gradual-onset injury symptom were three times more likely (OR, 3.09; 95% CI 1.08 to 8.79; p=0.035) and those reporting an illness symptom causing anxiety were fivefold more likely (OR, 5.56; 95% CI 1.34 to 23.15; p=0.018) to sustain an in-championship injury. Summary and conclusions Analyses of preparticipation predictors of injury and illness at a major Athletics championship suggest that endurance athletes require particular clinical attention. Preparticipation symptoms causing anxiety are interesting predictors for in-championship health problems.

Objective During international athletics championships, the incidence and characteristics of new injuries have been well described: about 10% of registered athletes have a new injury. It seemed also important to understand the complaints of athletes in terms of injuries in the period before and at the start of the championships and potential association with potential new injuries for identification of possible risk factors. The objective of this study was to determine the health of athletes before the start of an international athletics championship and to identify risk factors for new injuries. Patients and methods In the 2013 World Athletics Championships in Moscow, all athletes enrolled (n = 1784) were asked to complete a pre-participation health questionnaire (PHQ) collecting data on the health status during the months preceding the championships. During the period of the Championships, all new injuries were prospectively recorded. Results The PHQ was completed by 698 (39%) of the athletes; 204 (29.2%) reported suffering such injury complaint during the month before the championships. The most common mode of onset of pain before championships was gradual (43.6%). Forty-nine athletes reported at least one new injury during the championships. Athletes who reported suffering injuries before championships had an increased risk of having a new injury during the championship [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.16–3.77; P = 0.014] and those who reported suffering injuries championships before a gradual fashion appearance were at increased risk of almost four times to re-injury with sport stop in the championship (OR = 3.92; 95% CI: 1.69–9.08; P = 0.001). Discussion/Conclusion Approximately one third of athletes participating in an international athletics championship and involved in this study reported an injury complaint during the month before the championships. This represented a risk factor to suffer a new injury during the championship. T

Objectives: To explore the performance of retrospective health data collected from athletes before Athletics championships for the analysis of risk factors for in-competition injury and illness (IandI). Methods: For the 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships, a self-report questionnaire (PHQ) was developed to record the health status of 127 athletes during the 4 weeks prior to the championship. Physician-based surveillance of in-competition IandI among all 577 athletes registered to compete was pursued during the championships. Results: 74 athletes (58.3%) from the sample submitted a complete PHQ, 21 (28%) of these athletes sustained at least one injury and/or illness during the championships. Training more than 12 h/week predisposed for sustaining an in-competition injury, and a recent health problem for in-competition illness. Among the 577 registered athletes, 60 injuries (104/1000 registered athletes) were reported. 31% of injuries were caused by the track, and 29% by overuse. 29 illnesses were reported (50/1000 registered athletes); upper respiratory tract infection and gastro-enteritis/diarrhoea were the most reported diagnoses. Conclusions: Pre-participation screening using athletes self-report PHQ showed promising results with regard to identification of individuals at risk. Indoor injury types could be attributed to extrinsic factors, such as small track size, track inclination, and race tactics. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Objectives: Consistency in routines for reporting injury has been a focus of development efforts in sports epidemiology for a long time. To gain an improved understanding of current reporting practices, we applied the Injury Definitions Concept Framework (IDCF) in a review of injury reporting in a subset of the field. Design: Meta-narrative review. Methods: An analysis of injury definitions reported in consensus statements for different sports and studies of injury epidemiology in athletics (track and field) published in PubMed between 1980 and 2013 was performed. Separate narratives for each of the three reporting contexts in the IDCF were constructed from the data. Results: Six consensus statements and 14 studies reporting on athletics injury epidemiology fulfilled the selection criteria. The narratives on sports performance, clinical examination, and athlete self-report contexts were evenly represented in the eligible studies. The sports performance and athlete self-report narratives covered both professional and community athletes as well as training and competition settings. In the clinical examination narrative, data collection by health service professionals was linked to studies of professional athletes at international championships. Conclusions: From an application of the IDCF in a review of injury reporting in sports epidemiology we observed a parallel usage of reporting contexts in this field of research. The co-existence of reporting methodologies does not necessarily reflect a problematic situation, but only provided that firm precautions are taken when comparing studies performed in the different contexts. (C) 2014 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the health status of athletes before the start of an international athletics championship and to determine whether preparticipation risk factors predicted in-championship injuries. METHODS: At the beginning of the 2013 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships, all registered athletes (n=1784) were invited to complete a preparticipation health questionnaire (PHQ) on health status during the month preceding the championships. New injuries that occurred at the championships were prospectively recorded. RESULTS: The PHQ was completed by 698 (39%) athletes; 204 (29.2%) reported an injury complaint during the month before the championships. The most common mode of onset of preparticipation injury complaints was gradual (43.6%). Forty-nine athletes in the study reported at least one injury during the championships. Athletes who reported a preparticipation injury complaint were at twofold increased risk for an in-championship injury (OR=2.09; 95% CI 1.16 to 3.77); p=0.014). Those who reported a preparticipation gradual-onset injury complaint were at an almost fourfold increased risk for an in-championship time-loss injury (OR=3.92; 95% CI 1.69 to 9.08); p=0.001). Importantly, the preparticipation injury complaint severity score was associated with the risk of sustaining an in-championship injury (OR=1.14; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.22); p=0.001). SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: About one-third of the athletes participating in the study reported an injury complaint during the month before the championships, which represented a risk factor for sustaining an injury during the championship. This study emphasises the importance of the PHQ as a screening tool to identify athletes at risk of injuries before international championships.