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OBJECTIVES: Reports of injury characteristics of high school track and field athletes participating in jumping events in the United States are limited. In this descriptive epidemiological study, we report injury rates and patterns in these athletes. METHODS: Injuries and athletic exposures (AE) from the National High School Sports Related Injury Surveillance System, and High School Reporting Information Online (RIO) from 2008-2019 were analyzed. Jumping events included high jump, long jump, triple jump, and pole vault. Injury rate ratios (IRR) and injury proportion ratios (IPR) were examined by sex. RESULTS: A total of 727 injuries related to jumping events during 5,486,279 AEs occurred with the highest frequency at the thigh (20.3%) followed by the ankle (18.2%), knee (16.1%), and lower leg (11.0%). The most common types of injuries were muscle strain (29.0%) and ligament sprain (21.2%). Most athletes returned to sport within 1 week (43.1%, n = 312) or 3 weeks (34.7%, n = 243). Few jumping-related injuries resulted in surgery (4.9%, n = 35) or medical disqualification (4.4%, n = 31). The jumping-related injury rate was 1.33 injuries/10,000 AEs from 2008 to 2019. The rate of jumping-related injuries was higher in competition than in practice (IRR = 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.25-3.06). Injury rates were significantly higher in practice for female athletes than for males (IRR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.23-1.86). Compared to male athletes, female athletes sustained a higher proportion of ankle injuries (IPR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.15-2.32) and ligament sprains (IPR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.16-2.09). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes injury characteristics of high school track and field jumping athletes from 2008 to 2019. We found an overall injury rate of 1.33 injuries per 10,000 AEs. Higher overall rates of jumping-related injuries occurred during competitions than in practice, and female athletes displayed a significantly higher rate of injuries during practices compared to male athletes.

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La investigación fue realizada con el objetivo de proponer una variante de perfil de rendimiento o deportograma para el salto con pértiga femenino, a partir del comportamiento de los principales indicadores de rendimiento físico-técnico de esta prueba, para el equipo nacional cubano. Fue realizada una revisión bibliográfica de los principales antecedentes de deportogramas empleados previamente, para el salto con pértiga y los indicadores que los conformaron. Se realizaron mediciones de tipo cuantitativo a 11 indicadores físico-técnicos que fueron correlacionados con el resultado del salto con pértiga en un grupo de estudio integrado por 14 pertiguistas de la selección nacional de Cuba, con un rango de edad entre los 15 y los 32 años (media ± desviación típica: 25,20 ± 3,5). Se utilizaron métodos teóricos como el análisis-síntesis y la inducción-deducción; como métodos empíricos, la revisión de documentos, la entrevista, la medición y, estadístico-matemáticos que facilitaron el proceso investigativo. Los resultados aportaron un nuevo perfil de rendimiento o deportograma para el salto con pértiga femenino con una correlación significativa entre los nuevos indicadores propuestos y el resultado en salto con pértiga.

A pesquisa foi realizada com o objetivo de propor uma variante de perfil de desempenho ou esportograma para o salto com vara feminino, com base no comportamento dos principais indicadores de desempenho físico-técnico desse evento, para a equipe nacional cubana. Foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica dos principais esportogramas utilizados anteriormente para o salto com vara e dos indicadores que os compunham. Foram realizadas medições quantitativas de 11 indicadores físico-técnicos que foram correlacionados com o resultado do salto com vara em um grupo de estudo formado por 14 saltadores com vara da equipe nacional de Cuba, com uma faixa etária entre 15 e 32 anos (média ± desvio padrão: 25,20 ± 3,5). Foram usados métodos teóricos como análise-síntese e indução-dedução; como métodos empíricos, revisão de documentos, entrevista, medição e métodos estatístico-matemáticos que facilitaram o processo de pesquisa. Os resultados forneceram um novo perfil de desempenho ou esportograma para o salto com vara feminino com uma correlação significativa entre os novos indicadores propostos e o resultado do salto com vara.

The research was carried out with the objective of proposing a variant of performance profile or deportogram for the female pole vault, based on the behavior of the main physical-technical performance indicators of this test, for the Cuban national team. A bibliographic review of the main antecedents of deportograms previously used for pole vaulting and the indicators that comprised them was carried out. Quantitative measurements were made to 11 physical-technical indicators that were correlated with the result of the pole vault in a study group made up of 14 pole vaulters from the Cuban national team, with an age range between 15 and 32 years (mean ± standard deviation: 25.20 ± 3.5). Theoretical methods such as analysis-synthesis and induction-deduction were used; as empirical methods, the review of documents, the interview, the measurement and, statistical-mathematical that facilitated the research process. The results provided a new performance profile or deportogram for the female pole vault with a significant correlation between the new proposed indicators and the pole vault result.

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This study aimed (a) to estimate the transition rate for top 50 ranked track and field jumpers, (b) to compare the performance progression of top 50 ranked senior jumpers (top50 senior) to those who failed to be top 50 ranked in the senior category despite being top 50 ranked in the under 18 category (only U18), and (c) to verify whether relative age effect may at least partially explain the differences in the two above-mentioned subgroups. The career performance trajectories of 5981 athletes (2837 females) competing in jump events from 2000 to 2019 were extracted from the World Athletics database. The all-time top 50 ranked athletes for each age from 16 years to senior category were identified. Performance progression characteristics were compared using linear mixed-effects model. Only 8% of males and 16% of females top 50 ranked at the age of 16 years managed to be included among the top50 senior. Only U18subgroup made the first appearance in the database (at 15-16 years) and reached the peak performance (at 20 years) earlier than top50 senior (17-18 and 26-27 years, respectively). The relative age effect was largely present in Only U18 but not in top50 senior subgroups. Most of the early-successful U18 world-class jumpers did not manage to maintain the same level of competitiveness in adulthood since they experienced a plateau in performance from 20 years of age. Conversely, top 50 ranked senior jumpers continued to produce consistent performance improvement up to 26-27 years of age.

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BACKGROUND: The low back is the most common injury location in pole vaulters, and low back pain (LBP) can easily become chronic. Therefore, knowing the physical characteristics of athletes experiencing repeated LBP may be beneficial for recovery and injury prevention. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the physical characteristics of pole vaulters with chronic LBP. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: Twenty male pole vaulters participated in this study. A questionnaire was used to garner descriptive and personal data, including personal best performance in the pole vault. Additionally, the following physical characteristics were measured: 1) isokinetic muscle strength of hip and knee flexors and extensors, 2) active/passive range of motion and muscle flexibility in multiple joints and regions, 3) performance on the Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS™) and 4) spinal column alignment. Subjects were categorized using the questionnaire and divided into two groups, one with and one without chronic LBP. RESULTS: The personal best performance and angle on the active straight leg raise test (SLR) were significantly lower and smaller, respectively, in the chronic LBP group than in the non-chronic LBP group. Additionally, the difference between the passive SLR angle and active SLR angle (ΔSLR) was significantly larger in the chronic LBP group than in the non-chronic LBP group. Those with chronic LBP had were more likely to have a FMS™ composite score ≤14. CONCLUSION: The active SLR angle and ΔSLR were significantly smaller and larger, respectively, in the chronic LBP group than in the non-chronic LBP group. This may be because of the poor stability of trunk or incompetence of the kinetic chain required for raising the lower limbs. The chronic LBP group had a significantly higher probability of having an FMS™ composite score of ≤14. it may be important to examine the active straight leg raise (vs. passive only), and fundamental movements as screened by the FMS ™ in pole vaulters. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b.

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Background: Pole vault is a highly demanding sport where many physical and technical requirements are engaged in performance process. Considering level of energy transferred from athlete's horizontal speed to the pole during pole bending, we can imagine that associated musculoskeletal tensions, in addition to trials accumulation, can increase the risk of (specific) injuries. Given the multiple morphological, physical and technical characteristics of vaulters and ways of pole vaulting, we can hypothesis that some patterns of pole vaults can lead to higher injury risk than others. Aim: To analyze the potential association between the biomechanical patterns of pole vault and the history of injuries. Method: We conducted a study over national-level pole vaulters including the prospective collection of pole vault biomechanical data during competition at the national elite indoor championship and youth national indoor championship (U17 and U20), associated with the retrospective collection of their injuries during the 12 preceding months through an online questionnaire. Results: Among the 88 pole vaulters participating in these championships, 62 (70.5%) accepted to participated in this study, and their pole vault biomechanical and injury data were collected. 77.4% reported having presented at least one injury during the 12 preceding months. One biomechanical parameter related to the take-off phase (lower H2, i.e., height of the grip (superior) hand from the ground when the athlete subsequently took off from the ground) and some biomechanical parameters related to the terminal phase of the run-up phase (higher Spd [i.e., speed between 10 and 5 meters to the box), SLadj (last stride adjustment), SLvar (stride length variation), tc (contact time)] were significantly associated with higher proportions of all injuries. Conclusion: Biomechanical pole vault patterns during the competition day were associated with a higher proportion of history of all injuries. Although the injury data collection was retrospective leading to recall bias risk, and do not allow determining cause-consequence relationships regarding biomechanical patterns and injury occurrence, this present study is the first to analyze potential association between the biomechanical pole vault patterns and injury occurrence, which is of great help to provide hypotheses/ideas to design future studies and to move forward into prevention measures.

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Tens of millions of children and adults participate in organized sport in the United States each year. Although uncommon, fatal and severe nonfatal brain and spine injuries can occur during these activities. These "catastrophic" injuries have been noted in contact sports such as football, rugby, and ice hockey, as well as in noncontact sports including baseball, cheerleading, swimming and diving, equestrian, gymnastics, pole vault, rodeo, snow skiing, snowboarding, and wrestling. They happen at all levels of play, from youth to professional. Among all sports, football has the highest number of fatal brain and cervical spine injuries. While these injuries are more frequent in high school football, the rate is higher amongst college football athletes. Patterns exist in the types of brain and spine injuries most often occurring as a result of traumatic impacts in sport, but incidence and mechanisms of injury vary dramatically between sports. Understanding these patterns is essential to informing prevention efforts; football, pole vault, and cheer are all examples of sports benefiting from successful catastrophic injury prevention efforts. Participating in sport provides many benefits to physical and mental health. Despite these benefits, rare devastating injuries can be traumatic for the athletes, their families, and communities and can raise safety concerns that may reduce participation in sport. Understanding and preventing these types of injuries are critical to fostering participation in sport and ensuring both children and adults reap the physical, social, and mental benefits of sport.

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A successful approach phase is key to achieving high performances in the pole vault. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of locomotor control patterns during the pole vault approach phase. Fourteen well-trained athletes performed ten jumps which were recorded using 2D video sampling at 200 Hz and analysed. Key kinematics were reconstructed from camera data using a modified 2D-DLT. Patterns of regulation were determined from the standard deviation of footfall locations during the approach phase. These patterns were found to be highly individual but structural differences between those who did and those who did not regulate were identified. Regulation of locomotion was associated with an ability to produce functionally adaptable movement patterns and the consistent achievement of desired performance outcomes. Coaches should include training exercises that require intentional use of regulation to aid athletes in achieving the flexibility to adapt to changing constraints during the approach phase. Athletes should be considered on an individual basis in order to effectively, efficiently and safely improve performance.

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BACKGROUND: Although pole vaulting has been a sanctioned collegiate event since the 1920s, little is known about the injury patterns observed in the sport. PURPOSE: To describe injury incidence, patterns, and risks in collegiate pole vaulters. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of collegiate athletes participating in pole vault over a single track-and-field season. Baseline athlete information was collected on study enrollment. Injuries were recorded in a standardized form to document diagnosis and event circumstances. A log of practice and competition exposures was maintained for each athlete. Injury incidence was reported as the proportion of injured vaulters and number of new injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures. Regression analysis on baseline variables was performed to determine risks for injury. RESULTS: A total of 135 vaulters from 15 universities took part in the study. There were 70 injury events reported during 8823 exposures. Forty-one percent of vaulters sustained injury, and there were 7.9 injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures. The low back was the most common injury location (16.7%), followed by the hamstrings and lower leg (13.9% each). Overall, 60% of injuries were to the lower extremities, 21% to the upper extremities, and 18% to the back. No head or neck injuries were reported. Injuries were most commonly muscular strains (39.2%) or overuse type (25.5%). Thirty percent, including 83% of low back injuries, occurred during the plant/takeoff phase of the vault. One-third of lumbar injuries were spondylolysis, with 75% of these being season ending. The odds of injury were 2.7 (95% CI, 1.1-7.1) times greater in vaulters with multiple prior injuries. CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective study of injury patterns in collegiate pole vaulters. The results indicate that injuries are very common in experienced vaulters. Medical personnel and coaches should be aware of the propensity for overuse-type injuries and institute activity modification to reduce time lost. In addition, coaches and athletes should focus on proper technique, particularly during the plant/takeoff to help minimize back injury. Medical providers should maintain a high level of suspicion for symptomatic spondylolysis in any vaulter complaining of frequent or persistent low back pain. Detailed medical histories are important to identify prior injuries, and coaches should focus on changing technical flaws or behaviors that may contribute to reinjury.

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