Objective

During international athletics championships, the incidence and characteristics of new injuries have been well described: about 10% of registered athletes have a new injury. It seemed also important to understand the complaints of athletes in terms of injuries in the period before and at the start of the championships and potential association with potential new injuries for identification of possible risk factors.

The objective of this study was to determine the health of athletes before the start of an international athletics championship and to identify risk factors for new injuries.

Patients and methods

In the 2013 World Athletics Championships in Moscow, all athletes enrolled (n = 1784) were asked to complete a pre-participation health questionnaire (PHQ) collecting data on the health status during the months preceding the championships. During the period of the Championships, all new injuries were prospectively recorded.

Results

The PHQ was completed by 698 (39%) of the athletes; 204 (29.2%) reported suffering such injury complaint during the month before the championships. The most common mode of onset of pain before championships was gradual (43.6%). Forty-nine athletes reported at least one new injury during the championships. Athletes who reported suffering injuries before championships had an increased risk of having a new injury during the championship [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.16–3.77; P = 0.014] and those who reported suffering injuries championships before a gradual fashion appearance were at increased risk of almost four times to re-injury with sport stop in the championship (OR = 3.92; 95% CI: 1.69–9.08; P = 0.001).

Discussion/Conclusion

Approximately one third of athletes participating in an international athletics championship and involved in this study reported an injury complaint during the month before the championships. This represented a risk factor to suffer a new injury during the championship.

This study highlights the potential importance of a pre-participation health questionnaire as a screening tool to identify athletes at risk of injury before international athletics championships.