Incidence of injuries and illnesses among Sabahan athletes during SUKMA XIX 2018

Abstract

This is an epidemiological study on injuries and illnesses among Sabah SUKMA athletes in 2018. This study was done retrospectively using a standardized data registry. Incidence of injuries and illnesses were 16.27 and 16.74 per 100 athletes, respectively. Combat sports showed the highest incidence of injuries (45%), mainly involving the head and neck region. Common injuries included muscle strains and ligament sprains. The concussion rate was 1.85 per 100 full contact athletes. Time loss percentage was 1.4%. There were no reports on any severe head injuries or severe concussions. This could be due to the strict implementation of protective gear during competitions. The concussion rate was lower compared to many other international studies. Muscle strains was seen more in high speed sprinting and kicking athletes. The most significant illness affecting Sabahan athletes was an isolated case of mumps. However, contact tracing was activated immediately and there were no reported Mumps outbreaks among Sabahan athletes.