Abstract:
Background: Trail running races are often hosted in remote environments, challenging medical support. The sport is associated with a high incidence of injury and requires more work towards improved injury prevention in this field.
Aim: To determine the epidemiology and associated risk factors for injury-related medical encounters among trail runners participating in a high-altitude trail running event in 2019.
Hypothesis: Demographic variables (sex and age) are associated with a higher risk for injury-related medical encounters.
Study design: A descriptive cross-sectional study design.
Level of evidence: Level II
Methods: Medical staff documented all injury-related medical encounters among 412 trail runners during a high-altitude trail running event (100km, 65km, 38km). The study outcomes include injury prevalence (% of runners with medical encounters), clinical characteristics (anatomical region, body area, tissue type and pathology type) and risk factors associated with injury-related medical encounters (p<0.05).
Results: The overall injury-related medical encounter prevalence was 15.3%. The 100 km race accounted for most medical encounters (92.1%). Injuries mostly involved the lower limb (88.9%), specifically the foot (38.4%) and the knee (23.3%). The tissue type most affected was ligament/joint capsule (13.7%), followed by muscle/tendon (11%). Joint sprains (13.7%) and muscle strains (8.2%) were the pathology types most affected by injury. Sex and age categories did not show an associated risk of injury-related medical encounters during the races.
Conclusion: Approximately one in every six trail runners participating in a high-altitude trail event reported an injury-related medical encounter mostly affecting the lower limb. Sex and age showed no association with a higher risk of reporting an injury-related medical encounter.
Clinical relevance: Knowledge of the most common injury-related medical encounters could assist in the development of injury prevention strategies that can be incorporated into race preparation
