The epidemiology of injury and illness amongst athletes at the Indian Ocean Island Games, Mauritius, 2019

BACKGROUND: The Indian Ocean Island Games is a multi-sport event that occurs every four years and includes athletes from seven islands of the Indian Ocean, namely, Comoros, Reunion, Mayotte, Madagascar, Maldives, Seychelles, and Mauritius. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the injury and illness epidemiology of the athletes participating during the 2019 Indian Ocean Islands Games. METHODS: This prospective cohort study recorded injury and illness cases from athletes who competed in these Games. All medical physicians received detailed instructions and training on data collection using an injury report form. All athletes (minors and adults) who provided consent, or consent given from the minors’ guardians, were included in this study. Athletes who did not provide consent for this study were excluded. RESULTS: Athletes (n = 1 521; 531 women and 990 men) reported 160 injuries (injury incidence rate of 11%) and 85 illnesses (illness incidence rate of 6%). The percentage of distribution of injuries were highest in football and basketball. Most injuries occurred during competition, compared with training, joint sprains were the most common type of injury (28%), followed by muscle strains (19%). Men suffered most of the injuries (79% vs. 21% for women). Similarly, men sustained more illnesses than women (57% vs. 43%). Most illnesses affected the respiratory system (67%), and infection was the most common cause of illness (84%) in participating athletes. CONCLUSION: These findings are similar to previous events in other parts of the world. However, unique ailments, not previously reported on, were discovered. Epidemiological data from this study can be inferred to athletes who compete in similar multi-sport events in the Indian Ocean region.