SPORTS-RELATED INJURIES IN ELDERLY MEN STILL ACTIVE IN SPORTS

By means of a questionnaire with a complementary interview and physica l examination, the site and nature of sports injuries were investigate d over a 10-year period (1977-1987) in 97 elderly athletes (age range 70-81 years). The athletes were still active in training and competiti on with a mean competition background of 15 years. Of the subjects stu died 30 were strength/power athletes and the remaining 67 endurance at hletes. Altogether we found 273 sports-related injuries (169 acute and 104 overuse injuries). Of the injuries 75% had occurred in the lower extremities. The most commonly injured part of the body was the knee ( 20% of all cases). Sprains of the thigh and knee were the most frequen t types of acute injury. In most cases the treatment prescribed was re st and physiotherapy. Surgery had been necessary in ten cases (3.7% of all injuries). Mean withdrawal from normal sporting activity had, in general, been 2-3 weeks. Of the injuries, one in five had, however, la sted over several years causing some disability during sporting activi ties.