Methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on sports injury and illness defined and recommended by consensus statements

Abstract

Fifteen international and domestic consensus statements on methods for sports injury and illness epidemiological study were reviewed. The most widely recognized categorization of definitions of injury and illness is time-loss, medical attention, and any complaint, while the domestic consensus statement recommends the use of time-loss and non-time-loss categories. Acute sudden-onset, repetitive sudden-onset, and repetitive gradual onset are the most comprehensive and clear classification for mode of onset. Reinjury was defined as subsequent injuries to the same location and tissue to the index injury in most literature, and the use of this definition has been recommended because of its clarity. Recently established and updated Subsequent Injury Categorization Model is useful to consider the influence of index injury to the subsequent injuries. The risks of injury and illness are often evaluated with incidence rate. The incidence rate should be calculated with a denominator of 1000 athlete hours when the duration of playing time likely affects the risk of injury occurrence. While planning an epidemiological study, it is critical to review methods that have been already standardized in the past literature because the data produced by studies with consistent methodology can be compared and synthesized to build more reliable evidence.