Athletics is a cornerstone sport in Queensland, attracting athletes from school carnivals to elite national competitions. Track and field events cover various disciplines, including sprints, middle- and long-distance running, hurdles, jumps, and throws. Each discipline places different physical demands on the body, with sprinting and jumping requiring explosive power, distance running relying on endurance, and throwing events involving significant rotational strength. These repetitive and high-intensity movements can lead to both acute injuries and overuse musculoskeletal conditions.
Access Ortho supports track and field athletes of all ages and specialities, providing rapid orthopaedic assessment for acute injuries. The team at our fracture clinics in Brisbane and Ipswich focuses on restoring performance and reducing the risk of future injury so athletes can return to competition in peak condition.
Common Musculoskeletal Injuries in Athletics – Track and Field
- Hamstring strains – common in sprints, hurdles, and jumps due to explosive acceleration.
- Quadriceps strains – from sprinting, hurdling, and jumping take-offs.
- Calf strains – in sprinters, middle-distance runners, and jumpers from repeated push-offs.
- Achilles tendon injuries– tendinitis or partial tears from sprinting and jumping.
- Knee injuries – patellar tendinitis (jumper’s knee) and meniscus injuries from jumping or sudden stops.
- Ankle sprains – from awkward landings in jumps or hurdles.
- Shoulder injuries – rotator cuff strains and instability in throwers.