Musculoskeletal injuries in a six-day track race: Ultramarathoner's ankle

Objective: To document injuries during a 6-day track race tin which directi on was reversed every 2 hours) and compare these injuries with those incurr ed during other ultra-marathon track and road races, and to investigate a c haracteristic ultra marathon injury, tendonitis of the ankle dorsiflexors. Design: A prospective, cohort study of competitors during a (6-day race. Setting: 400-m grass track in Colac, Victoria. Participants: All 17 competitors (16 men and 1 woman). Main Outcome Measures: Total numbers and percentages of specific musculoske letal injuries. Results: A total of 36 injuries were recorded in 11 competitors. The ankle (36%) and the knee (22%) were the regions most frequently injured. The four most common diagnoses were: Achilles tendonitis (19%); extensor digitorum longus tendonitis (14%); retropatellar pain syndrome (14%); and anterior co mpartment pain (11%). Conclusion: Achilles tendonitis, patellofemoral pain, and tendonitis of the foot dorsiflexors are the three most common injuries ultra-marathons of 6 days or more. Ankle injuries predominate in track races, whereas knee injur ies are more common in road races. Road races are associated with higher fr equency of injury to the leg on the downside of the camber. Track races hav e an even distribution of injury. Confirmation is presented that the charac teristic ultra-marathon injury is tendonitis of the foot dorsiflexors.