RESUMO
A case control study, using a survey questionnaire was used to investigate the prevalence, causes and severity of injury and illness in junior level international aspirants in track and field. Comparisons were made between 53 case and 53 controls. Sprints (100, 200, 400) were the events responsible for injury, with training accounting for (77 percent) and competing (20.8 percent). Commonest injuries were hamstring (26 percent), while quadriceps and knees accounted for (24 percent). Injured runners differed significantly from non injured in that, they were more likely to do so while, (1) jogging, stretching, sprinting or jumping, (2) they trained more days per week, and (3) had sustained severe strain. A high percentage of injured received some medical attention. They were treated in order by physiotherapist, trainer, coaches and team physician. Illness accounted for 32 percent of injured athletes and 36 percent of non injured athletes, loosing time from training. Thirty percent (30 percent) of the injured and 32 percent of non injured lost time from school. The treatment received was provided by pharmacist 45 percent of the time, while general practitioners and team doctor 40 percent of the time. We concluded that injury was frequent, however that the condition was produced by jogging, sprinting, stretching and jumping and that the etiological factors were multifactorial (AU)
