Sports related injuries in primary care

January 01, 0001

Sports related injuries in primary care

Sports related injuries are commonly treated by family physicians. These Dutch researchers conducted a survey to epidemiologically characterize sports-related injuries in general practice. They surveyed 612 patient with sports related injuries from 21 different primary care practices.

The researchers found: "In total, 694 sports-related injuries were registered. The incidence of sports-related injuries was 23.7 in 1000 patients and prevalence 27.8 in 1000 patients. Soccer-related injuries are most prominent in this population, lower extremities being three times more often involved than upper extremities. GPs often (60.9%) used a symptom-based diagnosis. In 80% of the cases, no additional diagnostic testing took place, while in 36.5% of the cases, only explanation and advice sufficed. Few patients were referred to the hospital (6.6%)."

The researchers concluded: "Patients with sports-related injuries regularly consult GPs (on average one to two times per week). GPs tend to use non-specific diagnoses in sports-related injuries. In part, this may be due to the lack of specific diagnoses available in the current registration system (International Classification of Primary Care). Most often these injuries require only explanation and medical advice from the GP. Usually, additional tests or hospital referrals are not necessary"

This study provides a snapshot of sports related injuries and their treatment in primary care settings.

For the full abstract, click here.

Family Practice 28(1):29-33, February 2011 © The Authors 2010
Sports-related injuries in primary health care. Frank Baarveld, Chantal A N Visser, Boudewijn J Kollen and Frank J G Backx. Correspondence to Frank Baarveld: [email protected]

Category: A. General/Unspecified. Keywords: sports related injuries, soccer, primary care, treatment, diagnosis, survey, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 5 March 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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