Incidence Of Injuries Among Team Usa Athletes Competing In The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games

PURPOSE: To describe the incidence of injuries sustained by Team USA athletes during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on electronic medical records from all Team USA athletes with a medical encounter during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games (January 29 - February 23, 2022). New injuries were recorded based on the guidelines outlined by the 2020 International Olympic Committee and classified using the Orchard Sports Injury and Illness Classification System. Details of the athlete (sex) and injury (anatomic location) were examined and injury proportions (IP), and incidence rates (IR) with 95% confidence intervals per 1000 athlete days (AD) were calculated. RESULTS: Seventy new injuries were documented among the 231 US athletes (IP, 20.8%; male, n = 119; female, n = 112) that competed in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, resulting in an IR of 16.5 [95%CI, 12.7, 20.4] per 1000 AD. Female athletes (26.8%; IR, 20.1 [14.2, 26.0]) sustained more injuries than male athletes (15.1%; IR, 12.7 [7.8, 17.6]). Lower limb injuries (IP, 12.6%) accounted for the highest rates of injury (IR, 7.3 [4.7, 9.9] per 1,000 AD); lower limb injuries included the knee (3.5%; IR, 2.1 [0.7, 3.5]), ankle (3.9%; IR, 2.1 [0.7, 3.5]), foot (3.0%; IR, 1.9 [0.6, 3.2]), thigh (0.4%; IR, 0.2 [-0.2, 0.7]), and lower leg (1.7%; IR, 0.9 [0.0, 1,9]). Injuries to the torso (4.8%; IR, 2.6 [1.1, 4.1]) were higher than injuries to the head/face/neck (4.3%; IR, 3.1 [1.4, 4.7]) and upper limb (3.9%; IR, 2.8 [1.2, 4.4]). Sports resulting in the greatest rates of injury were bobsled/skeleton/luge (32.0%; IR, 26.4 [12.6, 40.2]), figure skating (31.3%; IR, 14.7 [1.8, 27.5]), ice hockey (24.5%; IR, 16.8 [8.6, 25.0]), and ski and snowboard (19.0%; IR, 22.6 [14.5, 30.6]). CONCLUSIONS: Among Team USA athletes competing in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, 21% sustained an injury with female athletes sustaining more injuries than male athletes. Injuries to the lower limb had the highest frequency with athletes competing in bobsled/skeleton/luge, figure skating, and ice hockey being at most risk of injury. Continued athlete injury surveillance is necessary to prepare for and develop targeted prevention and treatment strategies for future Winter Olympic Games.