INCREASED RISK OF SPORTS INJURIES AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS: CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Medical Education
• Injury Epidemiology

Background:

• Sports participation is common among medical students.
• Understanding injury patterns and risk factors is vital for athlete well-being.
• Previous research has not extensively detailed injury rates in this specific population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence and nature of sports injuries among medical students.
• To identify risk factors associated with sports injuries in this demographic.
• To compare injury rates between junior and senior medical students and single-sport versus multi-sport athletes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 218 student-athletes from six team sports was studied.
• Injuries affecting performance were recorded, irrespective of time lost.
• Athlete-exposure (A-E) was used as the unit of risk, defined as one student-athlete participating in one practice or game.

Main Results:

• Junior medical students (1st-3rd year) had significantly higher injury rates (7.58/1000 A-E) than senior students (4th-6th year) (4.49/1000 A-E).
• Multi-sport athletes exhibited higher injury rates (10.69/1000 A-E) compared to single-sport athletes (4.49/1000 A-E).
• Over 60% of injuries affected the lower limbs, with player contact being the primary cause in games (51%) and non-contact in practices (53%).

Conclusions:

• Junior medical students face a greater risk of sports injuries compared to their senior counterparts.
• Engaging in multiple sport modalities increases the likelihood of injury among medical students.
• These findings highlight the need for targeted injury prevention programs tailored to the specific risks faced by medical students.