Prevalence of Sports Injuries Among Athletes in the Lucknow Region: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sports-related injuries pose a critical concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults actively involved in athletic pursuits. In India, efforts to address sports-related injuries are hindered by the lack of comprehensive injury surveillance systems, underdeveloped sports medicine facilities, and inadequate awareness among athletes about effective injury prevention and management practices. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the prevalence, distribution, and causes of sports injuries among athletes in the Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh, India. Data were collected from 400 athletes aged 14-30 years enrolled across five prominent sports institutions, covering cricket, football, athletics, and wrestling. A combination of structured questionnaires and physical examinations was employed to gather injury-related information. The overall injury prevalence was 48.5%, with contact sports such as football (64%) and wrestling (58%) accounting for the highest rates. Lower limb injuries were predominant (61.3%), particularly knee sprains, ankle sprains, and hamstring strains. Gender-wise, male athletes experienced a slightly higher injury rate (50.6%) compared to female athletes (45.2%), though this was not statistically significant. Injuries were more frequently reported during training sessions than during competitions. The study found that inadequate warm-up routines, insufficient rest periods, and lack of access to sports medicine were key contributing factors. These findings underscore the pressing need for comprehensive injury prevention strategies, including structured warm-up protocols, regular sports medicine sessions, and education programs on injury management for both athletes and coaches. Establishing region-specific injury surveillance systems could help in developing effective, localized intervention programs. This study not only adds to the sparse epidemiological data on sports injuries in North India but also offers actionable insights for stakeholders to enhance athlete safety and long-term performance.