Exercise-related leg pain in collegiate cross-country athletes: Extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort design. OBJECTIVES: To determine in a sample of collegiate cross-country athletes (1) the percentage of athletes with history of exercise-related leg pain (ERLP) associated with running, (2) the incidence of ERLP during 1 season, (3) if factors including years of collegiate running, training distance, and gender are associated with ERLP, and (4) if there is a relationship between foot type and ERLP. BACKGROUND: ERLP is a common overuse pain syndrome, but little evidence exists regarding the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors. METHODS AND MEASURES: Eighty-eight collegiate cross-country athletes (44 male, 44 female) from 5 Midwest universities consented to participate. Prior to the season, athletes completed a questionnaire and 3 measures of foot type were performed: navicular drop, medial longitudinal arch angle, and visual assessment of foot type. Athletes completed a postseason questionnaire regarding the season incidence of ERLP. Statistical analyses of differences (t test, proportion test) and relationships (chi-square, relative risk) were conducted. RESULTS: Prior to the season, 60 of the 88 athletes (68%) reported a history of ERLP with bilateral medial leg pain the most common ERLP presentation. Over 50% of the athletes with a history of ERLP reported that the pain had interfered with cross-country participation. Of the 67 postseason respondents, 38.8% reported ERLP incidence during the season. Most athletes (80.8%) who reported season incidence of ERLP had a previous history of ERLP There were no differences between athletes with and without a history of ERLP or season incidence of ERLP regarding years of collegiate running, training distance, gender, and foot measures. CONCLUSION: ERLP history and season incidence was common among these cross-country athletes, The only risk factor identified for season incidence of ERLP was a history of ERLP.