Prevalence and Factors Associated With Injuries in Recreational Runners: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction The increased number of people who choose running as a form of exercise has been associated with a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries. Objectives To determine the prevalence and the factors that could be correlated with injuries among amateur runners in Recife, in the State of Pernambuco (PE), Brazil. Methods An observational, cross-sectional study, in which 300 (three hundred) amateur runners answered a social demographic questionnaire, as well as questions about training characteristics, footstrike and landing pattern, and history of running injuries. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, the student-t test to compare means, and the Chi-squared to compare prevalences. Results The prevalence of injuries amongst runners in Recife-PE was 58.5% (n= 175), the knee being the most commonly injured site (37.3%). In both groups - runners with and without injuries – there was a higher number of male runners, with 72.4% and 72.6% respectively. There was no difference in relation to the weekly frequency of running between the groups (p<0.63). However, runners with a history of injuries ran around 7 kmh a week more than the runners without injuries (p<0.03). A neutral footstrike (F=0.87; p=0.99) and hindfoot landing (F=4.13; p=0.90) were the most reported running patterns in both groups. It was found that wear was the main criterion used for changing running shoes in both groups (F = 8.35, p = 0.4). Conclusion There was a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among amateur runners in Recife-PE. Among the factors associated with the injuries, one variable was significant: a higher weekly volume of training. Level of evidence II; Study type: Cross-sectional study.

An Analysis of Running Impact on Different Surfaces for Injury Prevention

“…Some populations, such as amateur runners, showed an injury prevalence of around 58%, with male runners with and without previous injuries making up 72.4% and 72.6% of this group, respectively [3]. The causes of these injuries have been studied in depth, with the main factors being running shoes, running technique, a high weekly volume of training, or lack of adequate training.…”

“…The causes of these injuries have been studied in depth, with the main factors being running shoes, running technique, a high weekly volume of training, or lack of adequate training. Lately, the impact of running surfaces has also been cited as a potential injury risk factor [3][4][5][6]. The impacts on the runner's foot that occur when the foot lands on the ground depend on numerous factors: footwear, foot strike and landing pattern, running technique, and fatigue, among others.…”

“…The impacts on the runner's foot that occur when the foot lands on the ground depend on numerous factors: footwear, foot strike and landing pattern, running technique, and fatigue, among others. However, the surface is a decisive factor that can be selected by the runner in order to improve their sports practice, thereby avoiding injuries [3][4][5][6]. There is a need for a better understanding of how runners moderate their loading and gait in response to "real-world" surfaces [5].…”