616 MEP070 – Perceptions and behaviours towards injury risk reduction in elite athletics (track and field)

AbstractObjectives To explore the perception and behaviour of athletics (track and field) athletes, coaches, health professionals and team leaders towards injury risk reduction.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting The 2022 European championships in Munich (Germany).Participants Athletes (n=1540), coaches (n=705), health professionals (n=165) and team leaders (n=35), from 48 countries registered at the 2022 European Athletics championships.Main Outcomes Measurements Personal characteristics (sex, age, country, role) and their perception and behaviours towards injury risk reduction (13 questions on their perception about general statements towards injuries and injury risk reduction and 14 questions asking how often they performed some specific injury risk reduction approaches in their daily life/practice) by using a scale from disagree-0 to agree-100, on an online questionnaire.Results A total of 30 athletes, 10 coaches, 28 health professionals and 3 team leaders from 16 countries, replied to the online questionnaire. They were very likely to agree that injury is part of the sport (mean±SD) 80±22%), injury risk should be taken into account for life choices (75±23%) and poorly managed injuries expose to re-injury (82±27%), while less likely to think that risking injury is not totally necessary to achieve peak performance (53±32%). They also were very likely to agree that preventing injuries seems relevant (90±17%) and to add some strategies to reduce injury risk (90±17%). Most of them were likely to adopt injury risk reduction measures or strategies in their daily life/practice (82±19%), warm-up, hydration, and listening to pain were the most frequently adopted/suggested strategies, while digestive naps, psychological support, and mental preparation being the less likely.Conclusions These results provide a clear and relevant orientation to improve and develop injury risk reduction measures/strategies and their implementation and adoption.