In 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a consensus statement recommending standardised methods for recording and reporting illness and injury in sport. A key component of this statement was the recognition that sport-specific extensions should be developed to provide more detailed recommendations tailored to individual sports and/or settings. In response, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) Medical Commission convened a 15-member panel—comprising clinicians across multiple specialities, a sports scientist and two FIM delegates—to develop a consensus statement specific to motorcycling sport injury and illness surveillance. The panel reviewed existing consensus literature relevant to sport injury/illness surveillance and conducted two rounds of voting based on the IOC framework using a Delphi methodology. They then voted on key sport-specific recommendations to form the motorcycling sport-specific extension. The final manuscript was approved unanimously by all panel members after two rounds of revision.Relative to the parent IOC statement, this extension: (1) reframes injury categorisation and contact mechanisms around the combined rider-and-machine nature of motorcycling incidents; (2) replaces symptom-based and pathology-based severity scoring with a time-loss model adapted to the sport’s irregular competition calendar, including explicit handling of estimated severity and right-censored cases; (3) restricts exposure measurement to motorcycle-mounted transponder data rather than wearable devices, for safety and regulatory reasons and (4) introduces a discipline-specific appendix covering fall/injury mechanisms, demographic and equipment-damage variables and primary/secondary exposure and severity measures across circuit racing, motocross/supercross/supermoto, trial, enduro, cross-country and track racing.The motorcycling sport-specific extension of the IOC consensus statement aims to provide researchers and governing bodies with a standardised methodology to undertake injury and illness surveillance in motorcycling sport.
Objectives Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries represent a major challenge to player availability and performance in football. Despite the popularity of football in the Middle East, epidemiological injury data from domestic leagues in the region remain limited. This study aimed to quantify the prevalence and characteristics of MSK injuries among professional football players in Kuwait and examine factors associated with injury occurrence.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 football players from 14 clubs in Kuwait. Data were collected using a validated, self-administered retrospective questionnaire covering the 2022–2024 seasons. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise injury prevalence and characteristics. Associations between exploratory variables and injury status were examined using separate univariable logistic regression analyses.Results 241 players (77.7%) reported at least one MSK injury during the assessed seasons. Injury prevalence peaked in 2024 (41.0%, 95% CI 34.9% to 46.2%), compared with 22.2% (95% CI 17.6% to 27.2%) in 2023 and 15.0% (95% CI 10.9% to 19.1%) in 2022. Injuries predominantly affected the thigh, knee and ankle and occurred most frequently during match play. Muscle strains and ligament sprains were the most common injury types. Kuwaiti players had higher odds of sustaining an injury than non-Kuwaiti players (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.25 to 3.55; p=0.005), and players from Al-Qadisiya had higher odds of injury than those from the reference club (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.15 to 12.91; p=0.028).Conclusions Professional football players in Kuwait experience a high prevalence of MSK injuries, particularly in lower extremities. Injury patterns varied across seasons, and nationality and club membership were significantly associated with injury occurrence. These findings provide baseline epidemiological data that may inform future injury surveillance and prevention initiatives in professional football in Kuwait.
Objective To identify and evaluate factors associated with midportion Achilles tendinopathy (mid-AT) and insertional Achilles tendinopathy (ins-AT).Design Systematic review with meta-analysis.Data sources The databases MEDLINE Ovid, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and grey literature sources were searched up to 4 August 2025.Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Cohort and case-control studies investigating factors associated with mid-AT and ins-AT separately were included.Results 19 primary studies (11 prospective cohort studies and 8 case-control studies) were included in this systematic review. For mid-AT, high-quality evidence was found for a previous episode of Achilles tendinopathy and very low-quality evidence for 17 other factors including: older age, adverse lipid profile, being registered as a marathon runner, decreased calf muscle strength, winter training, ultrasound parameters, decreased forward progression force during running and limited first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion. No associations were found between 48 other factors and mid-AT, including a previous running-related injury, body mass index and foot posture. For ins-AT, moderate-quality evidence was found for a previous episode of Achilles tendinopathy and very low-quality evidence for younger age as associated factors. No associations were found between 17 other factors and ins-AT, including Haglund’s deformity and weight.Conclusion A wide range of non-modifiable, modifiable, imaging and biomechanical factors associated with mid-AT and ins-AT were identified, although most were supported by very low-quality evidence. High risk of bias and heterogeneity in the available evidence make the identification of factors associated with Achilles tendinopathy challenging.PROSPERO registration number CRD42024539362.
Objectives To establish normative sonographic values for proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint synovium, effusion and cartilage in asymptomatic adult rock climbers and to assess whether rheumatoid arthritis-derived ultrasound criteria misclassify normal climber adaptation as pathology.Methods Cross-sectional study of 160 asymptomatic adults (80 climbers with ≥5 years’ experience, 80 non-climbing controls) recruited from a sports medicine clinic in Salt Lake City, USA. Long-axis greyscale ultrasound of the middle and ring finger PIP joints measured dorsal synovium at the middle phalangeal base and the proximal phalangeal neck (dorsal recess), dorsal effusion, volar cartilage and volar effusion at 0° and 90° flexion. Images were measured by a blinded investigator. Groups were compared by Welch’s t-tests (Bonferroni threshold p<0.004); years of climbing were tested as an exposure proxy.Results Groups were matched for age, sex and hand scanned. Climbers had greater synovial thickness and effusion at every landmark (all p<0.0001). The most discriminating measure was dorsal synovium at the proximal phalangeal neck: 2.08±0.29 mm in climbers versus 0.97±0.15 mm in controls (middle finger). Volar cartilage did not differ (both p=0.32), flexion to 90° produced a negligible (≤0.03 mm) increase in volar effusion and years of climbing were unrelated to synovial thickness.Conclusions Asymptomatic climbers have baseline PIP synovial thickening meeting McNally greyscale criteria for grade 1–2 synovitis despite absent symptoms and preserved cartilage. The dorsal recess at the proximal phalangeal neck is the site at which standard criteria most consistently misclassify climbers and is proposed as the primary reference landmark; climber-specific thresholds are required.
