Abstract
Most studies reporting on sports injuries have been investigations of specific types
and locations in specific sports events and levels. This study aims at outlining the
features of sports injuries in general regardless of type, severity, or treatment
during 1 year among the adult population of the Greater Helsinki area (pop. 600,000).
This study was carried out in cooperation with the Central Statistical Office, which
in 1980 performed a nationwide survey aimed at outlining the incidence and features
of accidents occurring in Finland. The actual data from this study concerning sports
injuries in the Greater Helsinki area was broken down and further analyzed.
During the actual time period under investigation, an estimated 40,380 acute sports
injuries occurred in the area. Based on this estimate, the calculated occurrence of
sports injuries was found to be 670±121/10,000 inhabitants. Sports injuries were found
mainly among young people in their productive working years, though surprisingly low
was the occurrence of injuries among women of 20-24 years of age.
The majority of the injuries were of mild character, though 9% were classified as
severe, and it was estimated on the basis of the data obtained from this study that
some 4000 patients attended a casualty department in the area because of an injury
sustained in sports, thus placing a considerable burden on these agencies. Distorsions
formed with 65% the most common type of injury, and the application of an adhesive
bandage was the commonest form of treatment.
To complete this study the sporting habits among the same population were studied,
and it was concluded that the most popular sports activities were walking, followed
by cycling and jogging. Injury-prone events (e.g., soccer, indoor ball games) were
found at the lower end of this list.
Most sports injuries found in this study were trivial, and only 57% of theses required
medical treatment at the acute stage. However, at the follow-up 2 years after the
injury, 11% of the patients complained of some late sequelae from their initial trauma,
in the majority of the cases the initial trauma having been of a sprain type.
Key words
sports injuries - injury epidemiology - primary care
