A prevalence of running-related injuries among professional endurance runners in the Rift Valley, Kenya

BACKGROUND: Injuries related to endurance running have attracted attention as the sport has become more competitive, and as athletes seek to improve their performance. Consequently, endurance runners are increasingly becoming more susceptible to lower extremity running injuries. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of running-related injuries among professional endurance runners in the Rift Valley, Kenya. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional survey design targeting professional endurance runners who had participated in both local and international running competitions. The sample size consisted of 209 respondents selected through stratified and simple random sampling techniques, of which 167 participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the prevalence of injuries among the endurance runners. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The prevalence of running injuries was 63% (n=106). The prevalence among males (n=64; 69%) was higher in comparison with that of females (n=42; 57%). The posterior thigh was the most common site for injuries among the athletes (n=87; 52%), followed by the lower back (n=78; 47%) and ankle (n=63; 38%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of running-related injuries was high among professional Kenyan endurance runners compared to other populations. These findings therefore form the basis of future research to explore the mechanisms behind the injuries and the feasibility of targeted injury prevention programmes.