Medical encounters in Brazilian trail running: A multicenter study and safety framework

This multicenter study analyzes medical encounters across 17 Brazilian trail running events involving 18,314 athletes (2022-2025). With a 4.5% medical attendance rate, findings reveal a significant paradigm shift: systemic illnesses-including exercise-associated collapse, heat stroke, and hyponatremia-accounted for 66% of encounters, while injuries represented only 34%. Tropical climate stressors likely exacerbate these clinical risks, particularly among males aged 31-50. To bridge the gap between sport growth and athlete safety, we propose a six-pillar framework to establish a structured national medical surveillance system for trail running in Brazil, transitioning from a data vacuum to specialized, evidence-based care.