Incidence and burden of injury at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games held during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study of 66 045 athlete days
Year: 2022
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of injuries at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, including injuries sustained in the new sports of badminton and taekwondo. METHODS: Injury data were obtained daily via the established web-based injury and illness surveillance system (WEB-IISS; 81 countries, 3836 athletes) and local organising committee medical facilities (81 countries, 567 athletes). Univariate unadjusted incidences (injuries per 1000 athlete days with 95% CIs), injury proportion (IP, %) and injury burden (days lost per 1000 athlete days) are reported. RESULTS: A total of 4403 athletes (1853 women, 2550 men) from 162 countries were monitored prospectively during the 3-day pre-competition and 12-day competition periods (66 045 athlete days). 386 injuries were reported in 352 athletes (IP=8.0%) with an incidence of 5.8 per 1000 athlete days (95% CI 5.3 to 6.5). Football 5-a-side (17.2), taekwondo (16.0), judo (11.6) and badminton (9.6) had the highest incidence. There was a higher incidence of injuries in the pre-competition period than in the competition period (7.5 vs 5.4; p=0.0053). Acute (sudden onset) injuries and injuries to the shoulder (0.7) and hand/fingers (0.6) were most common. Injury burden was 10.9 (8.6-13.8), with 35% of injuries resulting in time loss from training and competition. CONCLUSION: Compared with previous Paralympic Games, there was a reduction in injury incidence but higher injury burden at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The new sports of taekwondo and badminton had a high injury incidence, with the highest injury burden in taekwondo, compared with other sports. These findings provide epidemiological data to inform injury prevention measures for high-risk sports.
Institutions: International Olympic Committee, Stellenbosch University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Education «Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health, St. Petersburg», South African Medical Research Council, University of the Western Cape, University of Ottawa, Institut National du Sport, de l'Expertise et de la Performance, Lund University, Sport Sciences Research Institute, Instituto Nacional de Traumatologia e Ortopedia, University of Pretoria, Loughborough University, University of Utah, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4311301409