Imaging of Track and Field Injuries

Abstract

Track and field is a popular sport worldwide. Injuries are common in track and field athletes and may occur during both training and competition. Most track and field injuries involve the lower extremity with muscle strains and ligament sprains being the most common diagnoses. Various imaging modalities are available to evaluate the cause of musculoskeletal pain in track and field athletes. Radiographs, computed tomography, and nuclear medicine scintigraphy can evaluate the osseous structures, while ultrasound can assess the tendons, muscles, and superficial ligaments in these individuals. MRI, however, is best suited to evaluate the injured track and field athlete since it can provide comprehensive assessment of all structures that can be sources of acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain. This chapter will review the spectrum of injuries that occur in track and field athletes and will discuss the pathogenesis and magnetic resonance imaging findings of the more common injuries seen in these individuals.