Findings from the preparticipation athletic examination and athletic injuries
R. H. DuRant, R. A. Pendergrast, C. Seymore, G. Gaillard and J. Donner
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta.
This study investigated the relationships between the findings from a
standardized preparticipation athletic examination, the sport played, and
athletic injuries requiring treatment by a physician and/or requiring the
athlete to miss one or more games. Of public high school students receiving
a preparticipation athletic examination during the 1989-1990 academic year,
674 (56%) either completed a telephone interview or returned a mailed
questionnaire at the end of the academic year. The sample consisted of 408
(60.5%) blacks and 243 (36.1%) whites; 470 (69.7%) of the subjects were
males. The subjects ranged in age from 13 to 20 years (mean +/- SD, 16.1
+/- 1.2 years), and participated in at least 10 school sports. Injuries
were reported by 29.5% of the athletes. The highest proportion of athletes
injured occurred among male football (36.3%), female basketball (33.3%),
male baseball (19.4%), male soccer (17.2%), and female track and field
(15.8%) participants. Responses by the athletes and their parents on the
standardized health history were significantly associated with injuries in
several specific areas. Knee injuries were associated with previous knee
injuries, knee surgery, and history of injuries requiring medical
treatment. Ankle injuries were associated with previous ankle injuries and
previous injuries requiring medical treatment. Both arm and other leg
injuries were associated with previous fractures. Male athletes with either
abnormal knee or ankle findings from the physical examination were more
likely to injure the knee or ankle, respectively. However, the
sensitivities and positive predictive values of these relationships are
weak. These data suggest that the preparticipation athletic examination may
not predict certain athletic injuries and that additional prevention
efforts for specific body areas of injury are needed in certain sports.
