Injury Predictors in a Distance Runner Population

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to validate an injury prediction test, to examine other tests as injury predictors, and to note physical characteristics of individuals participating in marathon training and how they correlate with injury rates. There is minimal evidence in the literature regarding repeatable and validated written injury prediction tests for the athletic/physically active populations. Participation in physical activity has increased over the past decade as well as injury rates. Studies have shown in the high school student-athlete alone, 23% experience injuries, with 65% of this population having injuries to the lower body. Through examination methods of demographic/health history, range of motion, balance, and functionality in a physical assessment and survey, we seek to determine risk factors associated with lower-body injuries in a population of runners training for a marathon or half-marathon. We chose runners as our population due to the high amount of impact on their lower-body. Our hypothesis is that runners with lower scores on functional assessment and limits in range of motion will be predisposed to lower-body injuries when training as well as we will validate a written test as a prediction tool for predicting which individuals are prone to injury.