@article {Harris991, author = {Rachel Harris and Larissa Trease and Kellie Wilkie and Michael Drew}, title = {Rib stress injuries in the 2012{\textendash}2016 (Rio) Olympiad: a cohort study of 151 Australian Rowing Team athletes for 88 773 athlete days}, volume = {54}, number = {16}, pages = {991--996}, year = {2020}, doi = {10.1136/bjsports-2019-101584}, publisher = {British Association of Sport and Excercise Medicine}, abstract = {Aim To describe the demographics, frequency, location, imaging modality and clinician-identified factors of rib stress injury in a cohort of elite rowers over the Rio Olympiad (2012{\textendash}2016).Methods Analysis of prospectively recorded medical records for the Australian Rowing Team in 2013{\textendash}2015 and the combined Australian Rowing Team and Olympic Shadow Squad in 2016, examining all rib stress injuries.Results 19 rib stress injuries (12 reactions and 7 fractures) were identified among a cohort of 151 athletes and included 12 female and 7 male cases, 11 open weight, 8 lightweight, 12 scull and 7 sweep cases. The most common locations of injury identified by imaging, were the mid-axillary line and rib 6. Period prevalence varied from 4\% to 15.4\% and incidence ranged from 0.27 to 0.13 per 1000 athlete days. There were no significant differences in prevalence by sex, sweep versus scull or weight class. There was a statistically significant increase in incidence in the pre-Olympic year (2015, p\<0.001). MRI was the most commonly used modality for diagnosis. Stress fracture resulted in median 69 (IQR 56{\textendash}157) and bone stress reaction resulted in 57 (IQR 45{\textendash}78) days lost to full on water training.Conclusions In our 4-year report of rib stress injury in elite rowing athletes, period prevalence was consistent with previous reports and time lost (median ~10 weeks) was greater than previously published literature. Rib stress injury limits training and performance in elite rowers and MRI should be considered as a first line investigation.}, issn = {0306-3674}, URL = {https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/16/991}, eprint = {https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/16/991.full.pdf}, journal = {British Journal of Sports Medicine} }