Sports injuries, sports damages and diseases of world class athletes practicing modern pentathlon

Abstract

108 world class athletes (54 males, 54 females) practicing modern pentathlon had been interviewed about their individual training and competition efforts as well as their sports related injuries, damages and diseases in the last world cup season using a standardized empirical questionnaire. The mean training extent was about 25 hours per week, the mean number of national and international competitions athletes made was 9, especially concerning swimming and running. Mean number of health threatening incidents of each athlete had been 2 with 41% diseases such as otitis and pharyngitis, 23% injuries such as contusions and distortions and 33% damages such as tendinitis, periostitis and strains. Head and neck involvement were more frequent than those of pelvis and the lower extremities. Training efforts were the most frequent reasons for health threatening events (84%), especially concerning diseases and damages, whereas most of the injuries happened during competitions (p<.01). Most of the injuries happened practicing horse riding during competitions (9%). Running was the most frequent reason for damages, whereas horse riding is the leading cause for injuries, furthermore damages and injuries are typical for fencing. Swimming is often associated with diseases. In contrary shooting did not show typically affiliated health threatening events. The incidence of health threatening incidents concerning world class athletes practicing modern pentathlon is quite low. Especially running and swimming combined with a high training extent empirically predisposed to suffer from damages and diseases. Horse riding with a quite low training extent and fencing show a higher incidence of injuries. From the training-methodological point of view the training extent should not be too extended. Due to a high number of diseases it may be profitable to be in attendance of an inner medicine physician.