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UBC Theses and Dissertations

A prospective survey assessing causative factors, outcome, and compliance with treatment in injured runners at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre Johnston, Christopher Andrew McLean

Abstract

The Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre has tracked the trends in running injuries over the past twenty years with three retrospective surveys. Associations of extrinsic and intrinsic factors with certain running injuries were also detailed. Outcome of running injuries and compliance with management has not been studied previously. The purpose of this thesis was to: 1. track the diagnoses of overuse running injuries and identify changing trends as compared to previous retrospective research conducted at the clinic over the past 20 years 2. assess causative factors related to overuse running injuries, and 3. assess the outcome of overuse running injuries and compliance with treatment by injured runners. The methodology involved three surveys generated specifically for this study. Injured runners completed one survey at their initial visit to the clinic detailing their injury and usual training program and a follow-up survey assessing their injury outcome and compliance with treatment. Physicians completed a survey at the initial visit detailing injury diagnosis, causes of injury, and suggested management plan. Over the course of the studies at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre, there has been an increase in the average age of patients as well as the female to male ratio. This likely can be attributed to the change in population demographics and increased female participation in running, respectively. Changes in injury location and specific diagnoses were described and reasons for the changes were identified. Errors in training were the most common contributing factors to running injury. Overall, intrinsic outnumbered extrinsic causes. This analysis reinforced the belief that running injuries are multi-factorial. The outcome analysis suggested that injury status was most likely to improve and least likely to reach pre-injury level or worsen. Cross training ability was more likely to improve and reach pre-injury level and least likely to worsen as compared to running ability. Correlation analysis of outcome measures with duration of symptoms, injury severity, follow-up interval, and overall compliance to the management plan provided further insight into their importance in running injuries. Opinions are offered on improving compliance as well as future approaches to compliance and running injury research.

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