No abstract

PURPOSE:To determine if there are differences in average workload, peak linear acceleration (PLA, g), peak linear velocity (PLV, m/s) between positions and sex during the 2021 -2022 World Cup Tour. METHODS: Twelve elite bobsled athletes (6 Females; 3 pilots, 9 push athletes; 30 ± 5 y; F 173 ± 8 cm, 75 ± 5 kg; M 183 ± 5 cm, 101 ± 5 kg) wore an accelerometer-enabled mouthguard during all training sessions and competitions occurring over ten consecutive weeks to quantify head impact kinematics. The number of impacts, PLA, and PLV, and workload (J) were calculated from the raw accelerometer waveforms. A head impact was defined as an instant where PLA exceeded 8g. Summary data, including number of days and runs captured, and number of head impacts were determined. Average values for each metric were determined. Two separate generalized linear mixed models via PQL were used by using a fixed effect of sex or position and random effects of run number, training or competition session, athlete. An effect was considered significant if p <0.05. RESULTS: 48 training days and 53 competition days were recorded, with a mean of 2 (range, 1 -3) runs per day. A total of 1900 head impacts were recorded over the season with a mean of 11 ± 8 impacts recorded per run. Mean head impacts per run were similar between males (11 ± 8) and females (11 ± 8, p=0.96) as well as between position (pilots, 11

were included in this analysis. Medical encounters were reviewed to: a) identify new illnesses that were diagnosed during the selected time frame, and b) to ensure accuracy of the illness diagnosis based on the medical note. Illnesses were categorized using the Orchard Sports Injury and Illness Classification System. Details of the athlete (sex) and illness (type) were examined and incidence rates (IR) with 95% confidence intervals per 1,000 athlete days (AD) were calculated. RESULTS: 241 athletes (122 female and 119 male) comprised the Team USA Paralympic Games delegation. Throughout the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, a total of 25 medical illnesses were documented, resulting in an IR of 6.3 [95% CI; 3.9, 8.8] per 1,000 AD. The IR for female athletes (72% of all illnesses) was 4.6 [2.6, 7.0] per 1,000 AD, whereas the IR for males was 1.8 (95% CI; 0.5, 3.1) per 1,000 AD. The most common illnesses were infectious (n = 10 [40%]; IR, 2.5 [1.0, 4.1] per 1,000 AD), respiratory (n = 4 [16%]; IR, 1.0 [0.0, 2.0] per 1,000 AD), and dermatologic (n = 3 [12%]; IR, 0.8 [-0.1, 1.6] per 1,000 AD) conditions. CONCLUSION: The incidence of illness among Team USA Paralympic athletes during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was lower than multi-delegation reports from previous Games. One potential reason for the lower incidence is the strict infection prevention measures put in place to combat the SARS-Cov-2 virus. Female athletes accounted for the majority of cases, and infectious etiologies were most common. Understanding illness epidemiology at elite sports events can assist sports medicine staff in developing and implementing effective strategies to reduce the incidence of illness at these events.

No abstract

PURPOSE:To determine if there are differences in average workload, peak linear acceleration (PLA, g), peak linear velocity (PLV, m/s) between positions and sex during the 2021 -2022 World Cup Tour. METHODS: Twelve elite bobsled athletes (6 Females; 3 pilots, 9 push athletes; 30 ± 5 y; F 173 ± 8 cm, 75 ± 5 kg; M 183 ± 5 cm, 101 ± 5 kg) wore an accelerometer-enabled mouthguard during all training sessions and competitions occurring over ten consecutive weeks to quantify head impact kinematics. The number of impacts, PLA, and PLV, and workload (J) were calculated from the raw accelerometer waveforms. A head impact was defined as an instant where PLA exceeded 8g. Summary data, including number of days and runs captured, and number of head impacts were determined. Average values for each metric were determined. Two separate generalized linear mixed models via PQL were used by using a fixed effect of sex or position and random effects of run number, training or competition session, athlete. An effect was considered significant if p <0.05. RESULTS: 48 training days and 53 competition days were recorded, with a mean of 2 (range, 1 -3) runs per day. A total of 1900 head impacts were recorded over the season with a mean of 11 ± 8 impacts recorded per run. Mean head impacts per run were similar between males (11 ± 8) and females (11 ± 8, p=0.96) as well as between position (pilots, 11