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Factors associated with a history of acute traumatic cycling injuries in 60 941 cycling race entrants in South Africa: SAFER study XLII
  1. Bertus Jansen van Rensburg1,2,
  2. Martin Schwellnus2,3,
  3. Darren Green4,
  4. Audrey Jansen van Rensburg1,
  5. Esme Jordaan5,6,
  6. Sonja Swanevelder5,
  7. Nicola Ann Sewry2,3
  1. 1Section Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
  2. 2Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
  3. 3IOC Research Centre, Pretoria, South Africa
  4. 4Mediclinic International Corporation Ltd, Stellenbosch, South Africa
  5. 5South African Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
  6. 6Statistics and Population Studies, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
  1. Correspondence to Nicola Ann Sewry; nicolasewry{at}hotmail.com

Abstract

Background Information on acute traumatic cycling injuries (ATCIs) in the 12 months prior to entry in a cycling race and the predisposing factors have not been well-researched.

Objective Determine factors associated with a history of ATCIs sustained in the previous 12 months by race entrants of a 109 km cycling race.

Methods Descriptive, cross-sectional study on 60 941 Cape Town Cycle Tour race entrants from 2016 to 2020. Data on a history of ATCIs sustained in the previous 12 months were obtained through an online pre-race medical screening questionnaire (mandatory in 2016, and voluntary in 2017–2020). Factors investigated were demographics, cycling/training history and history of chronic disease, collapse, cramping, allergies and regular chronic prescription medication usage. We calculated the prevalence ratio (PR) for reporting a history of an ATCI in the previous 12 months for each category (multiple regression model).

Results Factors associated with an increased PR for a history of ATCIs gathered from race entrants (34% of the total entrants) were: increased years of participation in distance cycling events >2 hours (PR=1.05 per 5 years of distance cycling, p<0.0001), increased weekly average training/racing distance of a cyclist in the past 12 months (PR=1.11 per 50 km increase in weekly cycling). Other factors were: increased number of chronic diseases reported (PR=1.53, per two additional chronic diseases reported, p<0.0001), history of collapse (PR=1.75, p=0.0005), history of cramping (PR=1.65, p<0.0001) and history of allergies (PR=1.49, p<0.0001).

Conclusions Subgroups of recreational cyclists at higher risk for ATCIs were identified. This information could assist in developing and implementing future strategies to mitigate ATCIs.

  • Bicycle
  • Risk Factor Research
  • Speed

Data availability statement

No data are available. Not applicable.

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Data availability statement

No data are available. Not applicable.

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Footnotes

  • X @nsewry

  • Contributors BJvR and NAS were responsible for the writing of the first draft. All authors (BJvR, MS, DG, NAS, AJvR, SS and EJ) contributed to the editing of the manuscript. MS, NAS, EJ and SS were responsible for the overall study concept, as well as the design thereof. MS, NAS, DG, EJ and SS were responsible for the planning of the overall study. MS and NAS were responsible for the overall content of the study. DG assisted with the collection of the data. EJ and SS were responsible for the management and cleaning of all the data. BJvR, AJvR, MS, EJ, NAS and SS were responsible for the interpretation of the data. NAS and MS secured funding for the conduction of the study. NAS was the guarantor of the study.

  • Funding IOC Research Centre of South Africa (partial funding). South African Medical Research Council (partial funding, statistical analysis). NAS received an NRF Thuthuka grant (Ref Number: TTK2204051971).

  • Competing interests DG is the medical director for the event.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

  • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.