A longitudinal study of injuries to athletes with disabilities

This study investigated the number and type of injuries that occurred to at hletes with disabilities from 1990-1996. The subjects were U.S. athletes wh o participated in the 1990 World Games and Championships, 1991 U.S. Paralym pic Trials, 1992 Paralympic Games, the 1994 World Athletics Championship, a nd the 1996 Paralympic Games. A reportable injury was defined as an injury/ illness that was evaluated by the U.S. Medical Staff during these competiti ons. Illnesses (29.8%) were the most commonly reported problem followed by muscular strains (22.1%). The most commonly injured body locations were the thorax/spine at 13.3%, the shoulder complex at 12.8%, the lower leg/ankle and toes at 12.0%. The majority of these injuries were musculoskeletal to i nclude strains at 22.1%, sprains at 5.8%, contusion at 5.6%, and abrasions at 5.1%. An area of concern was the high number of strains to the thorax an d spine when compared to other body locations and injury types. Attention s hould be paid to the musculature of the thorax/spine, shoulder and hip/thig h to help reduce the number of the injuries in this region.