Injuries in Interscholastic Track and Field

Abstract

In brief: Track and field is popular with both sexes. In this two-year study of track-and-field injuries in four high schools, 308 boys and 208 girls participated, and they sustained 101 and 73 injuries, respectively. Seventy-five percent of the injuries occurred during practice. Musculotendinous injuries were the most common, and 85% of the injuries involved the lower extremities. Time loss of more than five days occurred more often with track-and-field injuries than those in other sports. The difference in boys' and girls' injury patterns can not be explained by the variety of events alone.