Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Injuries and Illnesses in Swedish Paralympic Athletes - A 52-week Prospective Study of Incidence and Risk Factors

Fagher, Kristina LU ; Dahlström, Örjan ; Jacobsson, Jenny ; Timpka, Toomas and Lexell, Jan LU (2020) In Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 30(8). p.1457-1470
Abstract

Introduction
Sports‐related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) is a concern, but knowledge about the aetiology and risk factors is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the annual incidence, type and severity of injuries and illnesses among Swedish Paralympic athletes and to assess risk factors.
Methods
Swedish Paralympic athletes (n=107) self‐reported SRIIPS every week during 52 weeks using an eHealth application. Incidence proportions (IP) and incidence rates (IR) were used as measures of disease burden. Time‐to‐event methods (Kaplan Meier and Cox regression) were used to identify risk factors.
Results
The annual IP for injury was 68% and for illness 77%. The injury IR was 6.9/1000 hours... (More)

Introduction
Sports‐related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) is a concern, but knowledge about the aetiology and risk factors is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the annual incidence, type and severity of injuries and illnesses among Swedish Paralympic athletes and to assess risk factors.
Methods
Swedish Paralympic athletes (n=107) self‐reported SRIIPS every week during 52 weeks using an eHealth application. Incidence proportions (IP) and incidence rates (IR) were used as measures of disease burden. Time‐to‐event methods (Kaplan Meier and Cox regression) were used to identify risk factors.
Results
The annual IP for injury was 68% and for illness 77%. The injury IR was 6.9/1000 hours and the illness IR 9.3/1000 hours. The median time to injury was 19 weeks (95% CI: 10.5‐27.4) and to illness 9 weeks (95% CI: 1.4‐16.6). Most injuries occurred during training and 34% were classified as severe (≥21 days of time loss). An increased injury risk was observed among athletes in team sports (HR 1.88; 95% CI: 1.19‐2.99), athletes with a previous severe injury (HR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.47‐3.83) and male athletes (HR 1.76; 95% CI: 1.06‐2.93). The most common illness type was infection (84%). Athletes in team sports (HR 1.64; 95% CI: 1.05‐2.54) and males with a previous illness (HR=2.13; 95% CI: 1.04‐4.36) had a higher illness risk.
Conclusion
Paralympic athletes report a high incidence of injuries and illnesses over time. This emphasises the need to develop preventive strategies of SRIIPS and optimise medical services for this heterogeneous athlete population. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
volume
30
issue
8
pages
14 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:32302455
  • scopus:85084803863
ISSN
1600-0838
DOI
10.1111/sms.13687
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c458da46-d470-49c3-9820-7b6eedee7f6b
date added to LUP
2020-05-12 22:03:34
date last changed
2022-04-18 22:12:07
@article{c458da46-d470-49c3-9820-7b6eedee7f6b,
  abstract     = {{<br/>Introduction<br/>Sports‐related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) is a concern, but knowledge about the aetiology and risk factors is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the annual incidence, type and severity of injuries and illnesses among Swedish Paralympic athletes and to assess risk factors.<br/>Methods<br/>Swedish Paralympic athletes (n=107) self‐reported SRIIPS every week during 52 weeks using an eHealth application. Incidence proportions (IP) and incidence rates (IR) were used as measures of disease burden. Time‐to‐event methods (Kaplan Meier and Cox regression) were used to identify risk factors.<br/>Results<br/>The annual IP for injury was 68% and for illness 77%. The injury IR was 6.9/1000 hours and the illness IR 9.3/1000 hours. The median time to injury was 19 weeks (95% CI: 10.5‐27.4) and to illness 9 weeks (95% CI: 1.4‐16.6). Most injuries occurred during training and 34% were classified as severe (≥21 days of time loss). An increased injury risk was observed among athletes in team sports (HR 1.88; 95% CI: 1.19‐2.99), athletes with a previous severe injury (HR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.47‐3.83) and male athletes (HR 1.76; 95% CI: 1.06‐2.93). The most common illness type was infection (84%). Athletes in team sports (HR 1.64; 95% CI: 1.05‐2.54) and males with a previous illness (HR=2.13; 95% CI: 1.04‐4.36) had a higher illness risk.<br/>Conclusion<br/>Paralympic athletes report a high incidence of injuries and illnesses over time. This emphasises the need to develop preventive strategies of SRIIPS and optimise medical services for this heterogeneous athlete population.}},
  author       = {{Fagher, Kristina and Dahlström, Örjan and Jacobsson, Jenny and Timpka, Toomas and Lexell, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1600-0838}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1457--1470}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports}},
  title        = {{Injuries and Illnesses in Swedish Paralympic Athletes - A 52-week Prospective Study of Incidence and Risk Factors}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sms.13687}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/sms.13687}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}