Key result
Youth athletes experience a ~5% injury rate during championships, primarily affecting the thigh.
Why the study?
There was a need to describe medical team coverage and the epidemiology of injuries and illnesses before and during the 2023 African Youth Under 18/20 Athletics Championships.
Cohort (n=397)
Yes
The study highlights the limited medical coverage (only 34.9% of countries had medical personnel) and provides foundational epidemiological data on injuries and illnesses in African youth athletics.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports enhanced medical staffing at youth athletics events; leaves open targeted prevention efficacy in this population.
OBJECTIVES: To describe athletes' coverage by national medical teams, and injuries and illnesses occurring during the four weeks before and during the 2023 African Youth Under 18/20 Athletics Championships. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and prospective cohort study design. METHODS: We conducted a study with data collection of: 1) national medical teams, 2) injury and illness complaints during the four weeks preceding the championships using an online pre-participation health questionnaire, and 3) newly incurred in-championship injuries and illnesses collected by national medical teams and the local organising committee using daily standardised online report forms, for all registered athletes at the championships. RESULTS: Among the 43 countries participating at the championships, 15 (34.9 %) countries had a medical team with at least one medical personnel. Of the 15 countries, 6 (40.0 %) countries had at least one physiotherapist and one physician, 4 (26.7 %) countries had only physiotherapist(s), and 5 (33.3 %) countries had only physician(s). Nine (60 %) countries participated in the injury surveillance study, including 397 athletes: 61 (15.4 %) completed the pre-participation health questionnaire and 11 athletes (18.0 %) reported an injury complaint and 6 (9.8 %) an illness complaint during the four weeks before the championships. During the championships, there were 52.9 injuries and 50.4 illnesses per 1000 registered athletes. The main injury location was the thigh (33.3 %), and the main injury type was the muscle (47.6 %). The most common system affected by illness was the upper respiratory tract (55.0 %), and the main illness cause was idiopathic (50.0 %). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study provides foundational information to improve medical coverage and services during international championships, and orient injury/illness prevention in youth athletics across Africa.
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Édouard et al. (2024) conducted a cohort in Athletic injuries and illnesses (n=397). Participation in youth athletics championships was evaluated on In-championship injuries per 1000 registered athletes. During the 2023 African Youth Athletics Championships, athletes experienced 52.9 injuries and 50.4 illnesses per 1000 registered athletes, primarily affecting the thigh and upper respiratory tract.
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