Long-term outcome of sports injuries: results after inpatient treatment

Objective: To investigate whether sports injuries result in long-term disabilities and handicaps and to establish variables with a prognostic value for the occurrence of these long-term consequences. Materials and methods: All patients older than 17 years of age and admitted to the University Hospital Groningen because of a sports injury were entered in the study. By filling in a questionnaire 1 - 4 years after the injury an inventory was made of the long-term consequences. Main outcome measures: Absenteeism from work and sports, experienced disabilities or handicaps and the Sickness Impact Profile 68 (SIP68). Results: Out of 306 patients 229 (75%) returned a completed questionnaire. Sixty-seven per cent of the working population had been unfit for work up to one year, whereas 4% still had not resumed work. Absenteeism from sports was also considerable; nearly half of the population did not participate in sports for more than a year. Furthermore, 32% of the patients still experienced disability or handicap following the injury. This finding is in agreement with the results of the SIP68 ( odds ratio 6.8; confidence interval (95% CI): 3.51 - 13.08). Two prognostic variables could be distinguished: 'gender' and 'type of sport'. Long-term consequences occur more often in women ( p < 0.03) and with playing outdoor soccer, horse riding or skiing ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: Sports injuries can lead to long-term disabilities and handicaps. The variables 'gender' and 'type of sport' were of prognostic significance.