Abstract

Introduction: There is a need to characterize musculoskeletal injuries (MSK-I) in elite athletes in order to understand the factors associated with their occurrence and their impact on athletic performance. Objective: To characterize MSK-I in elite athletes treated at the Chilean High-Performance Center. Methodology: Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study. A total of 286 athletes and 372 clinical records were entered into the physiotherapy service during 2023. Demographic variables, type and location of injury, period and mechanism were considered. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and logistic regression were applied to identify risk factors, using Jamovi with statistical significance of p<0.05. Results: Approximately 1 in 4 athletes presented at least one MSK-I, with recurrence in some cases. Injuries were more prevalent in male, due to overuse and in the lower extremities, mainly muscular (p<0.01). Combat sports showed a higher risk of traumatic injuries, while ball sports and strength-endurance sports showed a predominance of overuse injuries, with variations according to gender (p<0.01). Discussion: The findings coincide with previous studies regarding MSK-I characteristics, although, unlike other studies, traumatic injuries did not predominate during competitions. The findings of this study provide relevant information for optimizing clinical decision-making by the medical team in their recommendations to athletes and their environment. Conclusions: The prevalence of MSK-I exceeded one injury per athlete on average, being more frequent in men, associated with overuse during training and mainly affecting the lower extremities and muscle tissue, with variations in risk depending on the sport category.