Posttraumatic sports-related musculoskeletal abnormalities: prevalence in a normal population

The prevalence of posttraumatic musculoskeletal (MS) abnormalities attributable to athletics within general populations has not been identified. In this study, comprehensive athletic histories and MS examinations were performed on 127 medical students, aged 23 to 32. A total of 158 separate congenital, developmental, and acquired MS abnormalities were detected among 93 subjects (73.2%). Forty-seven subjects (37.0%) demonstrated 64 separate sports-related abnormalities, including decreased joint range in motion (ROM), articular laxity, synovitis, tendinitis, and bursitis. Participants in contact sports had the highest prevalence, runners were intermediate, and participants in noncontact sports had the lowest prevalence of posttraumatic MS abnormalities. Ninety subjects (70.8%) had previous history of sports-related injuries. Participation in specific sports correlated with predictable injury patterns and with their sequelae as noted on physical examination. The data presented suggest a high incidence of sports injury in general populations, and demonstrate that posttraumatic MS abnormalities attributable to athletics are highly prevalent in otherwise normal young adults.