Risk and protective factors for musculoskeletal injury in youth track and field: a methodological scoping review

Musculoskeletal injuries are widespread among youth track and field athletes, largely due to the combined effects of growth, maturation, and escalating training loads. Yet, inconsistent definitions and measurement approaches for injuries, and for the factors that may increase or reduce risk, limit the comparability of findings across studies and impede progress toward effective prevention strategies.

To identify risk and protective factors for musculoskeletal injuries in youth track and field athletes, and to examine how these injuries and associated factors have been defined, measured, and aligned with consensus methodological standards.

This scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR reporting standards. Five databases (PubMed^®, Web of Science^®, Scopus^®, SPORTDiscus^®, and Embase^®) were systematically searched from inception to March 2026. Studies were eligible if they included youth track and field athletes (mean age 15-24 years) and reported injury characteristics and/or risk or protective factors. Data were extracted on injury definitions, surveillance methods, exposure metrics, and factor measurement approaches. Methodological alignment with the athletics consensus statement by Timpka et al. was assessed using a structured framework.

A total of 54 studies were included. Injury definitions varied widely, encompassing time-loss, medical-attention, symptom-based, and diagnosis-confirmed approaches, with substantial heterogeneity in surveillance methods and exposure quantification (48 studies). Factors associated with musculoskeletal injury outcomes spanned intrinsic (e.g., previous injury, biomechanics, strength, bone health) and extrinsic domains (e.g., training load, footwear, environment), with diverse measurement techniques (27 studies). Reporting of consensus-based methodological components varied across studies. Injury-definition elements were reported in a greater proportion of studies than exposure and surveillance elements. Variation was observed in the reporting of exposure metrics, prospective monitoring approaches, and the inclusion of overuse injuries across studies.

Considerable methodological heterogeneity exists in youth track and field injury research. Greater adoption of consensus-based definitions, standardised exposure measures, and robust surveillance systems may improve comparability and support the development of injury prevention strategies.

Open Science Framework (Registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/U4BSY).