Epidemiology of Lower Limb Injuries and Dysfunctions in Athletes of Mountain Sports

Abstract

Background: Lower limbs have been reported as the most common site of acute injury in mountain sports, however, the long-term effect of participating in sports that are practiced in steep terrain is not clear. This study aimed to investigate specifically the frequency of lower limb injuries and functional disorders of athletes in different disciplines of mountain sports including mountaineering, skiing, and sky running.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 114 athletes registered in the Mountaineering and Skiing Federations of Iran, completed an online survey. The link sent to volunteers included a checklist for demographic profile, history of acute injury, and the Persian version of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS).

Results: The overall prevalence of lower limb injury was 27.4%, and the median score of LEFS was 78, which was in the normal range. However, 44.2% of the athletes had an LEFS score that indicated a lower-than-normal lower extremity function. No correlation was found between a history of acute injury and reduced LEFS score.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of lower limb dysfunction in mountain athletes and the lack of correlation between the history of acute injury and lower limb dysfunction in this study indicates the possible role of other risk factors in the development of overuse injuries.