Health and economic burden of running-related injuries in runners training for an event : A prospective cohort study
- Authors: Hespanhol Junior, Luiz , van Mechelen, Willem , Postuma, Eva , Verhagen, Evert
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Vol. 26, no. 9 (2016), p. 1091-1099
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Prospective running-related injury (RRI) data from runners training for an event are scarce, especially with regard to RRI-associated costs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and economic burden of RRIs in runners participating in an organized training program preparing them for an event. This was a prospective cohort study with 18 weeks of follow-up. Individuals aged 18 or older and registered to participate in an organized running program were eligible. Follow-up surveys were sent every 2 weeks to collect data about running exposure, RRIs, and costs. Of the 161 potential participants, 53 (32.9%) were included in this study. A total of 32 participants reported 41 RRIs. The mean prevalence during follow-up was 30.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 25.6–36.0%]. Overuse was the main mechanism of RRI (85.4%, n = 35). An RRI was estimated to have an economic burden of €57.97 (95% CI €26.17–94.00) due to healthcare utilization (direct costs) and €115.75 (95% CI €10.37–253.73) due to absenteeism from paid work (indirect costs). These results indicate that the health and economic burden of RRIs may be considered significant for public health. Therefore, prevention programs are needed for runners participating in organized training programs. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
The NLstart2run study : Economic burden of running-related injuries in novice runners participating in a novice running program
- Authors: Hespanhol Junior, Luiz , Huisstede, Bionka , Smits, Dirk-Wouter , Kluitenberg, Bas , van der Worp, Henk , van Middelkoop, Marienke , Hartgens, Fred , Verhagen, Evert
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 19, no. 10 (2016), p. 800-804
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To investigate the economic burden of running-related injuries (RRI) occurred during the 6-week 'Start-to-Run' program of the Dutch Athletics Federation in 2013. Methods: This was a monetary cost analysis using the data prospectively gathered alongside the RRI registration in the NLstart2run study. RRI data were collected weekly. Cost diaries were applied two and six weeks after the RRI registration to collect data regarding healthcare utilisation (direct costs) and absenteeism from paid and unpaid work (indirect costs). RRI was defined as running-related pain that hampered running ability for three consecutive training sessions. Results: From the 1696 participants included in the analysis, 185 reported a total of 272 RRIs. A total of 26.1% of the cost data (71 RRIs reported by 50 participants) were missing. Therefore, a multiple imputation procedure was performed. The economic burden (direct plus indirect costs) of RRIs was estimated at (sic)83.22 (95% CI(sic)50.42-(sic)116.02) per RRI, and (sic)13.35 (95% CI(sic)7.07-(sic)19.63) per participant. The direct cost per RRI was (sic)56.93 (95% CI (sic)42.05-(sic)71.81) and the indirect cost per RRI was (sic)26.29(95% CI (sic)0.00-(sic)54.79). The indirect cost was higher for sudden onset RRIs than for gradual onset RRIs, with a mean difference of (sic)33.92 (95% CI (sic)17.96-(sic)49.87). Conclusions: Direct costs of RRIs were 2-fold higher than the indirect costs, and sudden onset RRIs presented higher costs than gradual onset RRIs. The results of this study are important to provide information to public health agencies and policymakers about the economic burden of RRIs in novice runners. (C) 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.