Musculoskeletal injuries in a college-age population during a 1-semester term

The authors' retrospective survey assessed the incidence and causes of sport- and exercise-related injuries in college students participating in intramural, recreational, and club sports. For their survey, they examined clinical screening forms and medical charts of 300 students (160 men and 140 women) to determine the type of injury, the body part affected, loading behavior of tissues involved, and mechanism of the injuries. Sprains resulting from tensile forces accounted for most of the injuries, with the knee the most frequently injured body part. The occurrence of injuries was equally divided between injuries from overuse, caused primarily by improper body mechanics, and acute injuries resulting from collisions with the ground or floor or from falls. The study suggests a need for programs in sport-injury prevention for college students.