Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

OBJECTIVE: 1) Describe overall illness, and COVID-19-specific illness in high school athletes in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic school years; and 2) describe and assess the risk of musculoskeletal injury following general infection, and after COVID-19. DESIGN: Ecological study. METHODS: High schools (6 states; 176 high schools) were matched between the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic school years, based on 2020-2021 high school sport participation. Illness and injury data were collected from the high school athletic trainers. Illness was stratified by overall illness, general infection, and COVID-19. Injuries following moderate or severe infections or COVID-19 were recorded. Illness and injury incidence rate per 100 athletes per year with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Negative binomial models comparing injury following general infections and COVID-19 infections were calculated. RESULTS: 98,487 and 72,521 athletes participated in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 years. Illness incidence rate was less in the 2019-2020 [0.30 (95% CI: 0.27-0.34)] than 2020-2021 [1.1 (1.0-1.2)] year, resulting in a difference of 0.8 (95% CI: 0.7, 0.9). COVID-19 incidence rate was 0.52 (0.47-0.58) in the 2020-2021 year. Injury following general infection incidence rate was 27.9 injuries (21.4-34.5) per 100 athletes in 2019-2020, and 22.5 injuries (19.3-25.7) per 100 athletes in 2020-2021. There was no difference in injury risk following general infection and COVID-19 [Rate Ratio: 1.2 (95% CI: 0.7-2.4)]. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate for all illnesses in high school athletes was slightly (0.8) greater in the 2020-2021 academic compared to the 2019-2020 year. Most of the incidence increase was due to infections and COVID-19. Subsequent injury incidence following moderate and severe infections were similar between years and between general infections and COVID-19.

Original publication

DOI

10.2519/jospt.2022.11200

Type

Journal article

Journal

J orthop sports phys ther

Publication Date

19/06/2022

Pages

1 - 25

Keywords

Coronavirus, Ecological, Return to Sport