Objectives: The purpose of this project was to describe the weekly prevalence of common injuries and illnesses that occur in long-track speed skating. This will benefit medical personnel who work with long-track speed skaters, so they can know what to expect in their work with these athletes, as well as sports physicians in general and medical personnel in emergency rooms and hospitals. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational cohort (health surveillance) study. 9 athletes from the Norwegian Speed Skating national team filled out a weekly questionnaire from January 2013 to January 2014, and 18 athletes filled out a weekly questionnaire from December 2016 to February 2018. A total of 8 athletes were part of both registration periods, resulting in a total of 23 unique athletes in this project. The athletes were asked if they had experienced any health problems during the last week, and to what degree the eventual health problem(s) had affected their training and performance. The reported problems were diagnosed by medical personnel, and weekly prevalence and problem type burden were calculated for the various injury and illness types. Results: A total of 219 health problems were registered during the project period, which lasted a total of 2.2 years. 140 cases of illnesses, 57 cases of overuse injuries, and 22 cases of acute injuries resulted in 406, 81, and 62 days lost, respectively. The total of 549 days lost corresponded to 15.8 days lost per athlete per year due to injuries and illnesses. The most frequent illnesses were respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. The knee and the lumbosacral region were the most frequent areas for overuse injuries. The head, hands, and lower leg were the most frequent areas for acute injuries. Conclusion: The most frequent illnesses and injuries as described in this project are important to prevent. Further studies with a larger group of athletes from different countries should be conducted in order to acquire a more nuanced picture of injuries and illnesses that occur in long-track speed skating. New insight and expanded knowledge will benefit both athletes and medical personnel working with long-track speed skating. A working knowledge of speed skating biomechanics and injury mechanisms may help clinicians optimize the management of these injuries. This project represents a beginning in the prevention of illnesses and injuries in long-track speed skating.

IntroductionWhile training and competition load are well-documented risk factors for injury, the influence of dual-career loads, life stressors and overall load on both injury and illness remain less clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether injury/illness occurrence is influenced by the training, competition, academic and work loads, as well as the overall load (sum of academic/work, training and competition loads) and life events in elite male handball players.MethodsIn this 45-week prospective cohort study, 189 elite male handball players weekly reported their load across training, competition, academic, and work domains. We derived an “overall load” variable as the sum of training, competition, academic and work hours. Health problems, including acute non-contact, overuse injuries and illnesses, were recorded using OSTRC-H2-SLO, while psychosocial load was assessed using the LESCA questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression and non-parametric tests were used to identify risk factors and group differences.ResultsInjured athletes reported significantly higher training (MD = 2.6 h; p < 0.001), and overall loads (MD = 2.9 h; p = 0.042), but lower academic loads (MD = 2.5 h; p = 0.001) than non-injured athletes. Similarly, ill athletes had higher training load (MD = 1.55 h; p = 0.026) and competition loads (MD = 0.23 h; p < 0.001) but lower academic loads (MD = 2.24 h; p = 0.001). Training load emerged as a significant predictor of both injury (OR = 1.33) and illness (OR = 1.23), and competition load strongly predicted illness (OR = 37.00). Academic and work loads were not significant predictors. Higher LESCA total scores were associated with increased injury (p = 0.041) and illness risk (p = 0.017), while negative scores were associated with increased illness risk (p = 0.012).DiscussionTraining and competition loads are key modifiable risk factors for injury and illness, while dual career might serve as a protective factor. While negative life events appear to be associated with illness, the overall volume of life changes—regardless of whether they are positive or negative—emerges as a significant factor in injury risk. Our results support the development of an integrated biopsychosocial model of athlete's health, where sports- and non-sports-related loads, together with life events shape an athlete's vulnerability to injury and illness.

OBJECTIVE:To systematically review and synthesise the incidence and characteristics of injuries and illnesses among athletes participating in the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Paralympic Games. DESIGN:Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES:PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science were searched up to 2 July 2024, and Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform up to 12 December 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES:Cohort studies conducted during the Games reporting injuries and illnesses among athletes. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for prevalence studies, and certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. RESULTS:27 articles were included (10 Olympic, 4 Youth Olympic and 13 Paralympic Games). 23 articles had low, 3 moderate and 1 high risk of bias. Certainty of evidence was high to moderate for Olympic, high to low for Youth Olympic and low for Paralympic Games. Injury incidences per 1000 athlete-days were 6.5 (95% CI 5.9 to 7.2) during Olympic, 10.5 (95% CI 9.4 to 11.8) during Youth Olympic and 14.3 (95% CI 9.9 to 20.7) during Paralympic Games. Illness incidences per 1000 athlete-days were 3.6 (95% CI 2.8 to 4.7), 6.9 (95% CI 6.1 to 7.8) and 9.7 (95% CI 6.5 to 14.4), respectively. Lower limb injuries were frequent during Olympic and Youth Olympic Games, upper limb injuries during Paralympic Games and respiratory illnesses across all Games cohorts. CONCLUSIONS:Injury and illness incidences were highest in Paralympic Games, followed by Youth Olympic and Olympic Games. Incidences and patterns of injury and illness were sport and context specific, which could inform future prevention strategies. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER:CRD42023475334.

Objectives: Longitudinal data on injury and illnesses in Para athletes is limited. Therefore, the aim was to illustrate the epidemiology of health problems concerning demographic factors and sporting exposure in an elite Para athlete cohort. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: All German Paralympic squad athletes were invited to participate in this study. Between 2019 and 2021 health problems were monitored via a weekly online questionnaire (Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre questionnaire on health problems). Additionally, primary sporting activity, training exposure, and subjective training intensity per week were recorded. Epidemiological descriptive statistics, hazard ratios and odds ratios were analysed. Results: Over an observation period of 124 weeks, 122 Para athletes (48% females; mean age: 28 years) reported 438 (248 substantial) health problems, equally paired into illnesses and injuries. Females demonstrated a two-fold risk of sustaining a substantial health problem (hazard ratio = 1.8; 95 % confidence interval: 1.2-2.8). A lower risk of sustaining a substantial health problem is associated with more than 5 years of elite training (odds ratio = 0.9; 95% confidence interval: 0.8-0.9). At any given time, 10.5% (95% confidence interval: 9.6-11.5) of the participants reported a substantial health problem and prevalence was elevated during weeks of competition (9.8 %; 95% confidence interval: 4.2-15.4). During training camps new overuse injuries were mainly reported (41.2 %), whilst acute injuries peaked during competitions (31.8 %). Changes to the normal training intensity were associated with more substantial health problems (odds ratio range = 1.5-4; 95 % confidence interval range = 1.1-4.8). Conclusions: Monitoring of female athletes, and those with less than five years of experience is substantial. Health problem patterns varied during the season. Education of coaches and medical staff is necessary to safely guide the Para athletes. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Sports Medicine Australia. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to investigate the associations between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in elite male handball players at both the group and individual levels.MethodsIn this 45-week prospective cohort study, 189 elite male handball players weekly reported their perceived stress and load across training, competition, academic, and work domains. Blood samples were collected five times during the 2022/23 season to measure cortisol and the free testosterone to cortisol ratio (FTCR). We derived a “load” variable as the sum of training, competition, academic and work hours and calculated acute, chronic, and acute-to-chronic ratio variables for both load and stress. Associations between subjective and objective measures were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation.ResultsWeak to moderate positive associations were found between load and perceived stress (r = 0.19 to 0.46, p < 0.001), and between perceived stress and cortisol (r = 0.10, p = 0.023). Weak negative associations were found between perceived stress and FTCR (r = −0.18 to −0.20, p < 0.001) and between load and FTCR (r = −0.13, p = 0.003). A total of 86% of athletes had positive associations between stress and load (47% weak, 34% moderate, 5% high); 78% between stress and cortisol (27% weak, 22% moderate, 29% high); and 63% demonstrated negative associations between FTCR and load (18% weak, 32% moderate, 13% high).ConclusionThis study highlights the complexity between subjective and objective measures of stress and load in athletes. Understanding the link between these measures may help coaches and sports scientists streamline athlete monitoring. In cases where moderate to strong associations exist, subjective measures might serve as a reliable substitute for objective ones, making the monitoring process more time- and cost-efficient.

Objectives To describe the prevalence, incidence and burden of injuries and illnesses, including their patterns (mechanisms, affected body parts/organ systems) across playing positions (wing, back, line and goalkeeper) in elite adult male handball players.Methods The Slovenian version of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H2-SLO) was used to record health problems (HP) weekly during the 45-week handball season 2022/23.Results The study included 189 athletes (age: 23.3±4.4 years). With a weekly response rate of 93%, the mean weekly prevalence of HP was 13.3% (95% CI: 12% to 15%). The overall incidence was 2.2 HP per player per year (95% CI: 1.9 to 2.4), with a cumulative 3318 days lost and a mean time loss of 10.7 days per problem. Acute injuries represented the highest prevalence, incidence and more than 4× greater burden than overuse injuries and illnesses. The knee was the most frequently injured site for both acute and overuse injuries. For acute injuries, the ankle was the second most affected site, while the pelvis/lower back and shoulder were common in overuse injuries. Respiratory illnesses comprised 48% of all illnesses. Wings had the highest prevalence (17%), while backs exhibited the highest incidence (0.99 HP per player per year 95% CI 0.84-1.17), and goalkeepers faced the longest time-loss per HP.Conclusion Our findings emphasise the need for position-specific medical care and prevention programmes, targeting knee, ankle, pelvis/lower back, shoulder and respiratory tract. Wings and backs require particular attention due to their high prevalence and burden, while goalkeepers need specialised rehabilitation protocols.Trial registration number NCT05471297.

OBJECTIVES:The study provided a comprehensive analysis exploring the association between athletes' injury characteristics and the choice of physiotherapy treatments applied at the Polyclinic Tokyo 2020. METHODS:Data from all physiotherapy treatments offered in the Polyclinic Olympic Village in Tokyo between 13 July and 10 August were recorded electronically. The physiotherapy team consisted of approximately 150 Japanese physiotherapists. Physiotherapy modalities analyzed were cryotherapy, electrotherapy, exercise therapy, laser therapy, manual therapy, shockwave therapy, taping, and ultrasound therapy. Logistic regression assessed the association between athletes' injury characteristics and the physiotherapy treatment the Polyclinic Physiotherapy Services offered at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games using odds ratio. RESULTS:This study analyzed 808 athletes who received physiotherapy, of which 66.6% (n = 1023) were for lower limb chronic injuries affecting muscles and tendons (72.8%, n = 1209) and were the most prevalent ones treated. Chronic injuries accounted for 56.7% (n = 942). Manual therapy was associated with trunk injuries (odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.4-2.3) and chronic injuries (1.5, 1.2-1.9). Ultrasound therapy was associated with injuries of the upper limbs (3.6, 1.9-6.7) and lower limbs (3.0, 1.7-5.2). Taping was associated with bone/joint/ligament injuries (2.1, 1.4-3.0). Shockwave was associated with muscle/tendon injuries (2.0, 1.2-3.4). Cryotherapy was related to acute injuries (1.8, 1.1-3.0) and lower limbs (3.6, 1.4-9.4). Laser was associated with bone/joint/ligament injuries (14.4, 4.5-45.8). CONCLUSIONS:Chronic injuries affecting lower limb muscles and tendons were the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries treated at the Tokyo 2020 Polyclinic. Overall, Japanese physiotherapists used manual therapy, taping, exercise, and ultrasound therapy to treat athlete injuries.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether postural control was associated with an increased risk of future noncontact ACL injury in youth female basketball and floorball athletes. Data collection on 189 youth female basketball and floorball athletes was performed during a 3-year period. The modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT), single-leg drop-down test, and single-leg stance tests on a balance platform were used to measure postural control. In the mSEBT, performance in the anteromedial, medial, and posteromedial directions, as well as the corresponding composite score, were recorded. In balance platform tests, the mediolateral and anteroposterior velocity, velocity moment, and side length of a square representing 90% of postural sway were measured. Relative limb asymmetry and bilateral limb mean results for these variables were calculated and used as predictor variables in Cox regression analysis. Noncontact ACL injuries and individual exposure hours were prospectively recorded throughout the follow-up. Twelve noncontact ACL injuries occurred. Greater limb asymmetry in the posteromedial direction [HR 1.18 (95% CI 1.05-1.32)] and composite score [HR 1.17 (95% CI 1.01-1.36)] on the mSEBT were associated with an increased risk of noncontact ACL injury. No statistically significant associations were found in the other directions for the mSEBT or any of the balance-platform-generated variables. Dynamic postural control, measured by limb asymmetry in the mSEBT, was associated with future ACL injury. Prevention programs for noncontact ACL injury could benefit from exercises directed toward correcting limb asymmetries in dynamic postural control in youth female basketball and floorball athletes.

BACKGROUND:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most severe injuries for athletes. It is important to identify risk factors because a better understanding of injury causation can help inform athletes about risk and increase their understanding of and motivation for injury prevention. PURPOSE:To investigate the relationship between anatomic factors and risk for future noncontact ACL injuries. STUDY DESIGN:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS:A total of 870, excluding 9 players with a new contact ACL injury and a player with a new noncontact ACL injury just before the testing, female elite handball and soccer players-86 of whom had a history of ACL injury-underwent measurements of anthropometrics, alignment, joint laxity, and mobility, including leg length, knee alignment, knee anteroposterior laxity, generalized joint hypermobility, genu recurvatum, and hip anteversion. All ACL injuries among the tested players were recorded prospectively. Welch t tests and chi-square tests were used for comparison between the groups (new injury group, which sustained a new ACL injury in the follow-up period, and no new injury group). RESULTS:An overall 64 new noncontact ACL injuries were registered. No differences were found between athletes with and without a new ACL injury among most of the measured variables. However, static knee valgus was significantly higher in the new injury group than in the no new injury group among all players (mean difference [MD], 0.9°; P = .007), and this tendency was greater in players with a previous ACL injury (MD, 2.1°; P = .002). Players with secondary injury also had a higher degree of knee hyperextension when compared with those previously injured who did not have a secondary injury (MD, 1.6°; P = .007). CONCLUSION:The anatomic factors that we investigated had a weak or no association with risk for an index noncontact ACL injury. Increased static knee valgus was associated with an increased risk for noncontact ACL injury, in particular for secondary injury. Furthermore, hyperextension of the knee was a risk factor for secondary ACL injury.

OBJECTIVE:There is a lack of prospective data on mental health of elite Para athletes. The objective was to identify and follow elite Para athletes at risk of mental health problems. METHODS:In a 124-week prospective cohort study, mental health of German elite Para athletes was monitored using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). In case of positive screening (PHQ-4≥5) over 2 weeks, a follow-up contact was conducted by a sports psychiatrist, who asked the athletes about their mental condition and sources for their mental distress and offered support. RESULTS:7543 PHQ-4 scores were obtained from 122 Para athletes with a mean weekly response rate of 84%. The PHQ-4 screening was considered positive for symptoms of depression or anxiety with a prevalence of 6.7%, affecting 48.4% (n=59) of all participants at some point during the study period. In 76.6% (n=49) of all follow-up contacts, athletes (n=34) reported at least one mental health problem, most frequently mental distress (n=31), followed by symptoms of depression (n=19) including acute suicidality (n=1). The most common mental stressors cited were related to education and problems with the team, coaches or federation. At follow-up, almost two-thirds of the athletes were either already in professional psychiatric or psychological care (25%) or were recommended to seek such care (32.8%). CONCLUSION:Our screening and follow-up system revealed high rates of mental health problems in elite Para athletes. Programmes for early identification with mental health monitoring under the supervision of mental health professionals should be considered by sports federations for Para athletes.

Background: The updated Oslo Sports Trauma Research Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H2) has been translated into a limited set of languages and lacks full validation of its new measures. Purpose: To (1) translate, cross-culturally adapt, and evaluate the measurement properties of the OSTRC-H2 for the Slovenian population and (2) investigate the construct validity for the severity score and time lost due to a health problem. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The OSTRC-H2 was translated from English to Slovenian (OSTRC-H2-SLO) according to international guidelines. A 15-week study was conducted among 188 elite athletes, with a test-retest performed in the 10th week. Internal consistency, reliability, content validity, feasibility, and potential ceiling effects were investigated. Internal consistency was measured using the Cronbach alpha coefficient, while reliability was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Construct validity was measured with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient ( rS). Results: There was a 95% response rate and an 18% mean weekly prevalence of health problems. The OSTRC-H2-SLO showed excellent test-retest reliability (ICC, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.67-0.99]), with a Cronbach α of .93. A strong positive correlation was found between the OSTRC-H2-SLO severity score and days lost due to an acute injury ( rS = 0.754), overuse injury ( rS = 0.785), and illness ( rS = 0.894) ( P < .001 for all). Moderate to strong negative correlations were observed between severity score and total load (training and competition load in hours) as well as between days lost and total load ( P < .001 for all). Conclusion: The OSTRC-H2-SLO was found to be valid, reliable, and well accepted among Slovenian athletes. The authors confirmed the questionnaire's construct validity and identified total load as an indicator of an increase in the severity score. Registration: NCT05471297 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).

Purpose: In order to better understand the imaging of severe trauma in sport, this study describes the imaging modalities utilized to image athletes who experienced severe traumatic injuries at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games 2022, the distribution of these modalities in relation to the sporting facilities, and the types of injuries imaged in each sport. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis with descriptive tables and figures, performed on a single population (athletes of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games 2022). Results: Of the 2871 athletes in the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, there were 40 athletes with severe injuries who underwent medical imaging. MRI was used more often than Radiography or CT. Athletes at venues without MRI on site had to be transferred to adjacent hospitals for care. Alpine and Freestyle skiing athletes experienced the majority of severe traumatic injuries at this Olympic Games, and the majority of injuries were to the lower limb. Conclusions: Access to medical imaging for severely injured athletes is a critical consideration in the organization of any sporting event. MRI in particular is highly utilized in this population.

Background Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most severe injuries for athletes. It is important to identify risk factors, since a better understanding of injury causation can help to inform athletes about risk and increase their understanding and motivation for injury prevention. Objective To investigate the relationship between anatomical factors and risks for future non-contact ACL injuries. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting and Participants 870 female elite handball and football players (age 14–37 years), 86 of which with a history of ACL injury were enrolled in the analysis. All complete ACL injuries among the tested players were recorded prospectively from 2007 to 2015. Assessment of Risk Factors The 18 anatomical risk factors for non-contact ACL injuries were invested, including anthropometrics, alignment, joint laxity and mobility. Main Outcome Measurements Univariate analysis between groups with and without new ACL injury to detect risk factors for non-contact primary and secondary ACL injury. Results 64 new non-contact ACL injuries were registered. Only small or no differences were found between those with and without a new ACL injury among the variables that were measured. However, static knee valgus was significant higher in the new injury group than in no new injury group among all players, and this tendency was clearer players with a previous ACL injury. Players with secondary injury also had higher degree of knee hyperextension compared with previously injured that did not get a secondary injury Conclusion The anatomical factors we investigated had weak or no association with risk for an index non-contact ACL injury risk. Increased static knee valgus was associated with increased risk for non-contact ACL injury, in particular for secondary injury. Furthermore, hyperextension of the knee was also a risk for secondary ACL injury.

OBJECTIVE:A periodic health evaluation (PHE) is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary investigation of athlete health widely used in elite sport, but its contents and benefits can be questioned. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of conditions identified by a PHE among Paralympic and Olympic athletes over four consecutive Games cycles from Rio de Janeiro 2016 to Beijing 2022 and to assess the benefits and potential pitfalls of a comprehensive PHE programme in detecting existing injuries, illnesses and other health issues. METHODS:We collected extensive health history and clinical examination data on elite athletes: medical history, ECG, blood pressure, blood samples, spirometry, musculoskeletal health, cognitive function, mental health and compliance with public health programmes. RESULTS:The final cohort included 87 Paralympic and 367 Olympic athletes, representing 565 PHE cycles. Musculoskeletal problems and unspecified pain, infections and allergies were the most frequent health issues. High blood pressure was the most prevalent cardiovascular finding, and vitamin D deficiency the most common laboratory abnormality. Most athletes complied with the public childhood vaccination programmes, but fewer with recommended cancer screening. Follow-up of health issues was variable. CONCLUSION:Our PHE programme identified musculoskeletal problems, infections, allergies, elevated blood pressure and vitamin D deficiency as common health conditions. Longitudinal follow-up of health conditions identified during screening and improved compliance with public health and cancer screening programmes is needed to determine the true benefits of athlete care prompted by the PHE.

Das Vorliegen von Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderung betrifft eine relevante Anzahl von Personen in Deutschland, verbunden mit individuellen Teilhabestörungen. Die Teilhabe am Sport ist auch für Menschen mit Behinderungen aus präventivmedizinischer Sicht und als Teil des Krankheitsbewältigungsprozesses von herausragender Bedeutung. Dies erfordert eine kompetente, auf einer gezielten sportmedizinischen Untersuchung beruhende Beratung. In einem mehrstufigen konsensualen Prozess wurden durch die Experten des Komitees "Behindertensport" der GOTS die Zielsetzung eines Leitfadens zur sportmedizinischen Untersuchung definiert und praxisorientiert präzisiert. Grundlage für die Erstellung der Handlungsempfehlungen waren neben sportmedizinischen Untersuchungsstandards jahrelange Erfahrungen bei der fachspezifischen Betreuung von Menschen mit Behinderung. Der hier vorgestellte Leitfaden stellt eine praxisorientierte Handlungsempfehlung für die Untersuchung von Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderung dar, um deren Teilhabe am Sport zu unterstützen und damit deren Lebensqualität zu verbessern. Impairments and disabilities affect a relevant number of persons in Germany associated with participation impairments. Participation in sport is of outstanding importance for people with a disability as part of the disease management process and from a preventive medical point of view. This requires competent advice based on a targeted sports medical examination. In a multi-stage consensual process, the experts of the Committee "Disabled Sports" of the GOTS defined the objectives of a guideline for sports medicine examination and specified them in a practice-oriented manner. In addition to sports medicine examination standards, the basis for the preparation of the recommendations for action was years of experience in the specialist care of people with disabilities. The guideline presented here represents a practice-oriented recommendation for the investigation of people with a disability in order to support their participation in sport and thus improve their quality of life.

Purpose (the aim of the study): Knee injuries are common in current elite athletes and knee OA most frequently reported in retired athletes. The rates of knee injury and knee OA across different sports are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of knee injury and OA by Olympic sports.

Objective To describe the patterns of health problems among Norwegian Olympic candidates during their preparations for five consecutive Olympic Games (London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio de Janeiro 2016, PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2020). Methods This was a descriptive epidemiological study using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems to collect data on all self-reported health problems from Norwegian Olympic candidate athletes for 12–18 months prior to each Olympic Games. Team physicians and physiotherapists followed up the athlete reports, providing clinical care and classifying reported problems according to the International Olympic Committee 2020 consensus statement on methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport. Results Between 2011 and 2020, 533 athletes were included in the Norwegian Olympic team monitoring programme, with a 78% response to the weekly questionnaire. During this time, athletes reported 2922 health problems, including 1409 illnesses (48%), 886 overuse injuries (repetitive mechanism, 30%) and 627 acute injuries (traumatic mechanism, 21%). Diagnostic codes were recorded for 2829 (97%) of health problems. Athletes reported, on average, 5.9 new health problems per year (95% CI: 5.6 to 6.1), including 1.3 acute injuries (CI: 1.2 to 1.4), 1.7 overuse injuries (CI: 1.6 to 1.9) and 2.9 illnesses (CI: 2.7 to 3.0). Each year, female and male athletes lost an average of 40 and 26 days of training and competition due to health problems, respectively. The diagnoses with the highest health burden were anterior cruciate ligament rupture, respiratory infection, lumbar pain and patellar tendinopathy. Conclusion The injury burden was particularly high among female athletes and in team sports, whereas endurance sports had the greatest burden of illness. Our data provide a compelling argument for prioritising medical care and investing in prevention programmes not just during the Olympic Games, but also the preparation period.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to describe the incidence of injuries and illnesses sustained during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games from 4 February 2022 to 20 February 2022.MethodsWe recorded the daily number of athlete injuries and illnesses (1) through the reporting of all National Olympic Committee (NOC) medical teams and (2) in the polyclinic and medical venues by the Beijing 2022 medical staff.ResultsIn total, 2848 athletes (1276 women, 45%; 1572 men, 55%) from 91 NOCs were followed prospectively for the occurrence of injury and illness. NOC and Beijing 2022 medical staff reported 289 injuries and 109 illnesses, equalling 10.1 injuries and 3.8 illnesses per 100 athletes over the 17-day period. The injury incidence was highest in ski halfpipe (30%), ski big air (28%), snowboard slopestyle (23%) and ski slopestyle (22%), and lowest (1%–2%) in curling, alpine mixed team parallel slalom, Nordic combined and alpine super-G. The illness incidence was highest in ski aerials (10%), skeleton (8%), cross-country skiing (8%) and Nordic combined (7%). In the study period, COVID-19 affected 32 athletes, accounting for 29% of all illnesses affecting 1.1% of all athletes.ConclusionOverall, 10% of the athletes incurred an injury and 4% an illness during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. The incidence of illnesses overall, which was the lowest yet recorded in the Winter Olympic Games, and COVID-19 was mitigated through comprehensive countermeasures.