Analysis of Injury Risk Factors in Elite Athletes

Analysis of Injury Risk Factors in Elite Athletes. A Cross-sectional Cohort Study.

Background information. The different disciplines of athletics place high physical demands on athletes. These different categories of running vary in terms of physical effort and duration, generating different levels of risk of injury. The description of the main injuries that affect elite athletes in the different athletics disciplines, as well as the identification of the specific risk factors of each discipline, will allow the identification of preventive measures to be implemented.

Objective. To identify the risk factors for tendon injury in professional long- and middle-distance athletes, according to the type of event, and to identify the best predictive model for tendon injuries based on anthropometric and athletic variables.

Method. Ambispective cohort study. 81 elite athletes will be recruited. The primary variable will be the number of tendon injuries in the last three seasons. The secondary and modifying variables will be: age (in completed years), weekly training load (in minutes), type of footwear (sneakers without carbon plate, sneakers with carbon plate, spiked sneakers without carbon plate and spiked sneakers with carbon plate), diet (balanced, high in carbohydrates, high-protein, controlled hypocaloric and adapted to the training cycle) and the regular practice of another physical activity. The possible confounding variables will be the body mass index, the date of tendon injuries in that period and the time spent as a federated athlete (in completed months). The analysis will calculate the risk of injury in these athletes and assess the influence of confounding factors and trend analysis on the primary variable, stratified by possible confounding factors.

Expected results. To calculate the risk of injury in elite athletes based on anthropometric and sociodemographic variables. To identify the predictive model of tendon injuries in elite athletes

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Athletic Injuries
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Athletes sample

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 81

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Principality of Asturias
    • Oviedo, Principality of Asturias, Spain, 33006
      • University of Oviedo

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Elite athletes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Elite federated athletes
• Who have not undergone previous musculoskeletal surgery in the seasons under study
• Who were federated at least one year before the study period
• Sign the informed consent document.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Athletes who have not participated in competition, during the study seasons, for a period of more than 6 months due to a musculoskeletal injury

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Observacional group	Other: Athletes sample; Elite athletes in whom the risk of injury will be calculated and the influence of confounding factors will be assessed through a personal interview.; Other Names: Elite athletes group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measurement of number of lower limb tendon injuries	The primary variable will be the number of lower limb tendon injuries in the last three seasons	Screening visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measurement of age	The measurement of age (measured in completed years) will be a secondary variable.	Screening visit
Measurement of the weekly training load	The measurement of the weekly training load (measured in minutes) will be a secondary variable.	Screening visit
Measurement of the type of footwear	The evaluation of the type of footwear (with the response options: shoe without carbon plate, shoe with carbon plate, spike shoe without carbon plate and spike shoe with carbon plate) will be a secondary variable.	Screening visit
Measurement of the type of diet	The evaluation of the type of diet (with the response options: balanced, rich in carbohydrates, rich in proteins and adapted to the training cycle) will be a secondary variable.	Screening visit
Measurement of the practice of another physical activity	The evaluation of the practice of another physical activity on a regular basis will be a secondary variable.	Screening visit

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measurement of the body mass index	The measurement of the body mass index (measured in kg/m2) will be a possible confounding variable.	Screening visit
Measurement of the date of tendon injuries	The date of tendon injuries in that period will be a possible confounding variable.	Screening visit
Measurement of federated time	The evaluation of federated time (measured in completed months) will be a possible confounding variable.	Screening visit

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Oviedo
• Investigators: Study Director: Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso, Universidad de Oviedo

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 31, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 28, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 25, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 25, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 2, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 10, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 6, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physiotherapy; Risk; Secondary Prevention; Athletics; Muscle Injury
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Athletic Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: ATL-risk

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No