Factors Associated With Triathlon-Related Overuse Injuries

Joshua Burns, Anne-Maree Keenan, Anthony C. Redmond
Study Design: Descriptive correlational investigation. Objectives: To assess the incidence of, and potential risk factors associated with, overuse injury in triathlon. Background: The sport of triathlon is rapidly increasing in popularity with a concomitant rise in the prevalence of injuries sustained by triathletes. Methods and Measures: The training and injury patterns of 131 triathletes were surveyed over a 10-week prospective period during the triathlon competition season. A complementary retrospective 6-month analysis of training history and prior overuse injuries was conducted. Results: Fifty percent of triathletes sustained an injury in the 6-month preseason at an injury exposure rate of 2.5 per 1000 training hours. Thirty-seven percent were injured during the 10-week competition season at an injury exposure rate of 4.6 per 1000 training hours. Overuse accounted for 68% of preseason and 78% of competition season injuries reported. Increased years of triathlon experience, high running mileage, history of previous injury, and inadequate warming-up and cooling-down regimes appeared to have individual associations with injury incidence. When interactions were included in a multiple logistic regression model, increasing years of triathlon experience was the most significant predictor of preseason injury risk and a previous history of injury and high preseason running mileage increased the risk of injury during the competition season. Conclusions: The results indicate that in assessing triathletes, a full training and competition history is required by the sports clinician for a comprehensive assessment of the factors that may contribute to overuse injury.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2003; 33(4):177-184.

Key Words: musculoskeletal injury, running, training, triathlete

The Effect of Low-Dye Taping on Kinematic, Kinetic, and Electromyographic Variables: A Systematic Review

Joel A. Radford, Joshua Burns, Rachelle Buchbinder, Karl B. Landorf, Catherine Cook

Study Design: A systematic review.

Objective: To determine the strength of evidence of the effect of low-Dye taping on lower limb kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic variables.

Background: Low-Dye taping is a foot-taping technique that aims to limit foot pronation and is commonly used to treat a number of foot disorders.

Methods and Measures: Systematic review of randomized or quasi-randomized trials examining the effect of low-Dye taping compared with no taping on kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic variables. Trials were identified by searching CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and CENTRAL, and by recursive checking of bibliographies. Data were extracted from published trials and from mail contact with authors for further information as necessary. Meta-analyses were planned for all outcomes using the generic inverse variance method. Sensitivity analyses were planned by pooling data from nonrandomized trials. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the quantity I2.

Results: Six trials met inclusion criteria and, of these, 5 trials reported sufficient data on kinematic and kinetic variables to be included in the analysis. Results from the 5 randomized trials were considered robust when pooled with data from 7 nonrandomized trials in a sensitivity analysis. When compared to no taping, low-Dye taping increased navicular height immediately after application (weighted mean difference [WMD], 5.90 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41 to 11.39; P = .04) and had no effect on navicular height post exercise (WMD, 4.70 mm; 95% CI, –0.61 to 10.01; P = .08), maximum rearfoot eversion while walking (WMD, –0.59°; 95% CI, –2.53 to 1.35; P = .55), and total rearfoot range of motion while walking (WMD, 2.3°; 95% CI, –0.64 to 5.24; P = .13).

Conclusions: Low-Dye taping provides a small change in navicular height post application, although it is unclear whether this change is clinically important. There was high heterogeneity between some trials examining other variables, indicating that more research is needed to confirm the results of previous trials.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006;36(4):232-241, doi:10.2519/jospt.2006.2190.

Key Words: arch, foot, pronation, strapping, tape

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy - Joshua Burns, PhD,BAppSc(Pod)Hons

Factors Associated With Triathlon-Related Overuse Injuries

The Effect of Low-Dye Taping on Kinematic, Kinetic, and Electromyographic Variables: A Systematic Review