VCOM Louisiana Research Day Program Book 2024

Clinical Research

Justin Nguyen, OMS-II; Yao Liang, OMS-II; Dan Luu, OMS-II VCOM-Louisiana 41 EXTREMITY INJURIES FROM FREE WEIGHT RESISTANCE TRAINING IN YOUNG ADULTS - A NEISS DATABASE STUDY

Background: Strength training has witnessed a surge in popularity among young adults aged 13 to 25 in recent years, as identified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Concurrently, the pervasive influence of social media has played a significant role in motivating this demographic to participate in gym activities and engage in free weight resistance training. The benefits of resistance training are accompanied by the potential risk of injuries, particularly upper and lower extremities. Resistance training demands meticulous planning and execution to avoid injuries and achieve optimal results, making it imperative to understand the epidemiological trends associated with upper and lower extremity injuries in young adults. Through the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), the study seeks to uncover patterns that can inform preventative strategies and contribute to the recommendation formulations aimed at reducing the risk of injuries associated with free weight training. This foundational information becomes integral to minimize the occurrence of injuries during resistance training, ultimately contributing to the development of safer and more effective exercise routines for this demographic. Objective: The primary objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and associated factors of upper and lower extremity injuries stemming from free weight resistance training among individuals aged 13 to 25 years. We hypothesize that there is a discernible pattern in the

occurrence of upper and lower extremity injuries within this age group engaged in resistance training activities, and that understanding these patterns can inform targeted injury prevention strategies. By utilizing the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database, our retrospective, cross-sectional analysis study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of cases over a relatively recent defined period, shedding light on the epidemiological landscape of upper and lower extremity injuries in young adults participating in resistance training. We anticipate that the findings will not only contribute to the existing body of knowledge on resistance training injuries, but also serve as a foundation for developing evidence-based recommendations to mitigate the risk of injuries and enhance the safety of resistance training practices among the targeted age group. Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried to identify injuries associated with weight training related injuries between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022 in the United States. Examined variables included patient age, sex, diagnosis, and injury location of body part group. Appropriate sample NEISS weights estimation was applied for statistical analysis and confidence intervals (CI) along with one-way ANOVA tests. Results: From 2018 to 2022, the predominant diagnosis for free-weight injuries across all age groups was strain/sprain, accounting for 3,255

cases. Through weighted estimates, this translates to a national estimate of 137,879 cases (95% CI, 101,143 – 174,614) across all ages. Young adults (aged 13-25) constituted 41.6% of all strain and sprain diagnoses, with males making up 78.9% of injuries. In the examination of body part injury distributions among young adults, upper extremities comprised 31.4% of all injuries (1,473 cases). The shoulder was identified as the most frequently affected body part, representing 35% of upper extremity cases. Lower extremities accounted for 17.2% of all injuries (809 cases), with the toe being the most frequently affected lower extremity body part (34%). Within the young adult population, strain/sprain emerged as the predominant injury diagnosis in the upper extremities, with a nationally estimated total of approximately 19,252 cases (95% CI, 14,657-23,847) from 2018 to 2022. In the lower extremities, contusions/abrasions emerged as the most common diagnosis, with a national estimate of approximately 9,187 cases (95% CI, 6,396-11,978). Conclusions: The study’s findings offer an overview while also providing provide insight to fitness professionals, educators, and enthusiasts on best practices for injury prevention in the realm of strength training, ensuring a healthier and more sustainable approach to fitness for young adults. Furthermore, injury patterns reported in this analysis may serve as an adjunct for clinical history taking and physical examination upon presentation.

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