Objective

The purpose of this study was to analyse the incidence and characteristics of muscle injuries and hamstring muscle injuries occurred during the international athletics championships from 2007 to 2015.

Patients and methods

National medical teams and local organizing committee physicians have collected every day all newly occurred injury whenever international championship from 2007 to 2015. Only the muscle injuries and hamstring muscle injuries, whatever gravity (cramp, contracture, rupture, avulsion), were analysed.

Results

A total of 720 muscle injuries have been reported on the total of 1762 recorded injuries, 40.9% of injuries; 57.5% ( n = 414) have resulted in time loss of sport. The overall incidence of muscle injuries was significantly higher among male athletes than female athletes (49.1 ± 4.4 vs. 28.7 ± 3.7 injuries per 1000 registered athletes, respectively; RR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.46 to 2.00).

A total of 185 hamstring muscle injuries were reported on the total of 1082 recorded injuries (9 championships included). This represented 17.1% of total injuries; 61.1% lead to time loss of sport.

Hamstring muscle injuries represented 39.8% of all muscle damage, and 74.6% of all thigh muscle injuries. The overall incidence of hamstring muscle injuries was significantly higher in athletes than female athletes men (22.4 ± 3.4 vs. 11.5 ± 2.6 injuries per 1000 registered athletes, respectively; RR = 1 94; 95% CI: 1.42 to 2.66). The impacts of hamstring muscle injuries were significantly higher in male than female athletes for the sprints, hurdles and jumps. There was no difference between male and female athletes in the frequency of hamstring muscle injuries between outdoor and indoor championships, the type, cause, severity, discipline and age categories.

Discussion/Conclusion

During international athletics championships, muscle injury is the principal type of injury, and among those, the hamstring is the most commonly affected, with a two times higher risk in male than female athletes. Athletes in explosive power events, male athletes and older male athletes, in specific were more at risk of muscle injuries and hamstring injuries. Injury prevention strategies should be sex-specific.