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Abstract
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Study Design Retrospective cohort. Background Participating in sports at high altitude may have a protective effect on the brain according to research studies. Research using validated data collection methods in a previously unexplored cohort may better estimate the association between concussion injury risk and altitude.
OBJECTIVEs To determine the association between concussion rates and altitude during college American football games.
METHODS Athletic trainers from 21 Division I football programs provided exposure and injury data to the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program from the 2009/10 to 2013/14 academic years. Elevations for each stadium were determined. Concussion rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) were compared in two ways based on our sample of stadium elevations: 1) median split (elevation >178 m vs. <178 m); and 2) quartile split. Rate ratios (RR), rate differences, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed.
RESULTS 169 concussions were reported over 49040 AE (3.45/1000 AEs). Using the median split, the concussion rate above 178 m (4.18/1000 AEs) was 1.47 times the concussion rate below 178 m (2.84/1000 AEs; RR 95% CI: 1.09, 2.00; P=0.01). The concussion rate at the highest altitude quartile (>284 m; 5.01/1000 AEs) was 1.67 times greater than the concussion rate at the lowest altitude quartile (<43 m; 3.00/1000 AEs; RR 95% CI: 1.13, 2.48; P=0.01).
CONCLUSION College football game concussion rates appear to increase at higher altitudes. The clinical significance of this relatively small increase is unknown. Future research should explore potential physiologic underpinnings associated with concussion risk at relatively higher and lower altitudes. Level of Evidence Prognosis, level 2b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 11 Jan 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6315.
Language: en |