Article Text
Abstract
The increasing participation in the athletic forms of bicycling warrants expanded physician attention to the traumatic and overuse injuries experienced by cyclists. The aim of this study was to describe injuries in cyclists participated at the 3rd International Presidency Iran Cycling Tour (Iran–Tehran 10–15 May 2010). All injuries occurring over a 5-day period at this tournament were documented for analysis. Altogether, 93 cyclists from 19 teams (14 foreign countries and 5 local teams) participated in this tournament. Seventeen out of 93 cyclists were injured in this event. In total, 71 injuries occurred. Abrasions (80%), contusions (16%) and fractures (4%) were the most common injuries in cyclists. Shoulder and clavicle (18%), pelvis (17%), elbow (15%), femur (13%) and knee (13%) represented the most common sites of injury (p<0.05). Collision with another cyclist (49%) accounted as a main cause of injury followed by collision with obstacles in the road (30%), slippery road (13%) and sudden twist in front of another cyclists (8%) (p<0.05). Rate of injury during the escape period (intense race with high speed) (89%) was significantly (p<0.05) more than less intense period (11%). Number of minor injuries (96%) was significantly higher than that of severe injuries (p<0.05). More injuries occurred in the initial period of the race (68%) than mid and end of the race (p<0.05). Injured cyclists lost the results and were not successful in this event. In conclusion, lower extremities had greater number of injury and collision with another rider was the main cause of injury; this information will assist decision makers in designing injury prevention techniques.