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Incidence of sports-related concussion in elite para athletes : a 52-week prospective study

Lexell, Jan LU ; Lovén, Gustav and Fagher, Kristina LU (2021) In Brain Injury 35(8). p.971-977
Abstract
Objective: To assess the 52-week incidence proportion and incidence rate of sports-related concussion (SRC) among elite Para athletes, and to analyze the injury mechanisms.Method: In total, 70 male and 37 female Swedish elite Para athletes (median age 29 years) with vision, physical and intellectual impairment, weekly self-reported sports-related injuries including concussion in an eHealth application adapted to Para athletes. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the incidence rate and incidence proportion. Chi-square statistics were used to analyze differences in the proportion of SRC.Results: A total of 13 SRC were reported: three athletes each sustained two SRC. The incidence proportion was 9.3% (95% CI 4.8-16.7), and the... (More)
Objective: To assess the 52-week incidence proportion and incidence rate of sports-related concussion (SRC) among elite Para athletes, and to analyze the injury mechanisms.Method: In total, 70 male and 37 female Swedish elite Para athletes (median age 29 years) with vision, physical and intellectual impairment, weekly self-reported sports-related injuries including concussion in an eHealth application adapted to Para athletes. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the incidence rate and incidence proportion. Chi-square statistics were used to analyze differences in the proportion of SRC.Results: A total of 13 SRC were reported: three athletes each sustained two SRC. The incidence proportion was 9.3% (95% CI 4.8-16.7), and the incidence rate 0.5 SRC/1000 hours (95% CI 0.3-0.9) of sports exposure. Athletes with vision impairment and female athletes reported a significantly higher proportion of SRC. A majority of the injuries (n = 9; 69%) occurred during sport-specific training. The injury mechanisms were collision with object (n = 7; 54%), collision with person (n = 4; 31%), and poor playing field conditions (n = 2; 16%).Conclusion: The incidence of concussion among elite Paralympic athletes is comparable to sports for able-bodied athletes. Athletes with vision impairment and female athletes reported a significantly higher incidence of SRC, and collisions were the most common injury mechanism. These results can form the basis for future preventive research studies. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Athletic injuries, brain concussion, epidemiology, para-athletes, sports for persons with disabilities
in
Brain Injury
volume
35
issue
8
pages
7 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85110791652
  • pmid:34185611
ISSN
1362-301X
DOI
10.1080/02699052.2021.1942551
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
69d284b1-cec0-4efc-9ff1-7fd633781957
date added to LUP
2021-06-29 21:06:42
date last changed
2022-12-28 03:00:25
@article{69d284b1-cec0-4efc-9ff1-7fd633781957,
  abstract     = {{Objective: To assess the 52-week incidence proportion and incidence rate of sports-related concussion (SRC) among elite Para athletes, and to analyze the injury mechanisms.Method: In total, 70 male and 37 female Swedish elite Para athletes (median age 29 years) with vision, physical and intellectual impairment, weekly self-reported sports-related injuries including concussion in an eHealth application adapted to Para athletes. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the incidence rate and incidence proportion. Chi-square statistics were used to analyze differences in the proportion of SRC.Results: A total of 13 SRC were reported: three athletes each sustained two SRC. The incidence proportion was 9.3% (95% CI 4.8-16.7), and the incidence rate 0.5 SRC/1000 hours (95% CI 0.3-0.9) of sports exposure. Athletes with vision impairment and female athletes reported a significantly higher proportion of SRC. A majority of the injuries (n = 9; 69%) occurred during sport-specific training. The injury mechanisms were collision with object (n = 7; 54%), collision with person (n = 4; 31%), and poor playing field conditions (n = 2; 16%).Conclusion: The incidence of concussion among elite Paralympic athletes is comparable to sports for able-bodied athletes. Athletes with vision impairment and female athletes reported a significantly higher incidence of SRC, and collisions were the most common injury mechanism. These results can form the basis for future preventive research studies.}},
  author       = {{Lexell, Jan and Lovén, Gustav and Fagher, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{1362-301X}},
  keywords     = {{Athletic injuries; brain concussion; epidemiology; para-athletes; sports for persons with disabilities}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{971--977}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Brain Injury}},
  title        = {{Incidence of sports-related concussion in elite para athletes : a 52-week prospective study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2021.1942551}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/02699052.2021.1942551}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}