Pattern of injuries sustained during training: A retrospective record-based study

Abstract

Background: Physical injuries constitute a major health problem in the training institutes. The present study was undertaken with the aim to analyze the injury pattern in a training institute. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out on male trainees of a premier training academy. Trainees with all forms of injuries were included in the study. This was a descriptive record-based study carried out at a tertiary-level hospital. The records were extracted from January 2011 to December 2016. These trainees were assessed in terms of their age, term, activity causing the injury, anatomical part injured, and their final disposal. Results: Out of a total of 5400 trainees, 1536 trainees with various forms of injuries were assessed (28.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 27.2–29.7). Their mean age was 18.62 years (standard deviation: 0.9 years). The lower limbs were most commonly injured (n = 1167, 75.91%; 95% CI: 73.7%–78.0%). There were 865 (56.3%) cases of soft-tissue injuries in comparison to 671 (43.69%) cases of bony injuries. Injuries due to physical training outnumbered to those sustained during sporting activities. Majority of the cases were managed conservatively (n = 1445, 94.07%), and only 85 trainees required surgical intervention (5.53%). Loss of man-days ranged from 1 to 309 days (mean: 38.18 days). Conclusion: Injuries are an integral part of training, resulting in morbidity and loss of man-days. The descriptive epidemiology of the injuries may help in formulating preventive and promotive measures for injuries.

Keywords

• trainees
• strength training
• stress fracture