747 EP099 – A study on associated factors for sports-related injuries among young athletes

Introduction and background There is a high risk of losing talented youngsters at an early stage of their athletic career due to poor injury management. The purpose of the study was to describe the patterns and factors associated with sports-related injuries. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among young (aged below 18 years) athletes in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. A validated questionnaire via a panel of experts and injury management clinical notes were used for data collection. Results From the population of athletes, 42.1% had a high frequency of injuries (> 5 times per year) and 23.4% suffered from a major injury (ligament/tendon injury). There were eight separate factors that appear to be associated with an increased risk of injury. An inadequate level of endurance (AOR= 2.1(CI=1.23–3.58) and strength (adjusted odds ratio AOR=1.58, CI=1.21–1.85) training was associated with a high frequency of injury. Based on the external factors a lack of coaching qualification (AOR=3.7, CI=1.12–7.28), a high level of intrateam competition (AOR=3.29, CI=1.06–5.92), and lack of special diet regimens (AOR=1.15, CI-1.05–1.35). Sports participation was also associated with injury; those with fewer years of sports engagement (AOR=1.3, CI=1.12–1.77) a reduced number of games in the previous year (AOR=1.43, CI=1.26–1.74), lack of safety equipment (AOR=1.53, CI=1.31–1.91). A high frequency of injuries (AOR=1.84, CI=1.1–3.1) and severity of injury (AOR=1.53, CI=1.3–1.92) appear to be determining factors for anxiety for continued engagement in sports. When considering the management of the injuries, it was found that only 47.8% had access to a specialized sports unit for treatment and only 34.1% had access to physiotherapy-associated management options. Conclusions The findings of the current study indicate that it is imperative that professional guidance for school-aged athletes in terms of training load, qualified coaching, dietary regimens, and sports injury management at specialized units are required to mitigate injury potential.