Not just the races. The athletes of Paris 2024 also had to face the risks of the heat, the polluted Seine, Covid. The Olympics represent, for most athletes, the crowning of a dream, the pinnacle of their career. “A goal that is not easy to achieve and that subjects each athlete to psycho-physical stress that is difficult to match. To fully understand the problems that athletes may encounter We must first make a distinction between injurya term used to describe problems mainly affecting the musculoskeletal system such as sprains, bruises, muscle injuries, tendinopathies, and illness (illness)a term used to describe other problems such as Covid-19, E.Coli infections, hyperthermia from exertion”. This is how Andrea Bernetti, vice president of the Italian Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Simfer), takes stock of the 2024 Paris Olympics, told Adnkronos Salute.
Injuries and illnesses
“According to a study conducted in relation to the Tokyo Olympics, a total of 1,035 injuries and 438 illnesses were reported, equal to 9.1 injuries and 3.9 illnesses per 100 athletes during the 17-day period, on 11,315 athletes (5,423 women, 48%; 5,892 men, 52%) from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The incidence of injuries was highest in boxing (27%), BMX racing (27%), BMX freestyle (22%), skateboarding (21%), karate (19%) and handball (18%) – Bernetti underlines – Then there were particular conditions such as Covid-19 and hyperthermia from exertion that were added to the typical injuries of each individual discipline.. Being able to make a completely partial comparison with the Paris 2024 Olympics at the moment, we can add to this picture some elements that have characterised this recent edition. For example, there has been much talk about the swimming events held in the Seine – remember – and of the risk of infections contracted due to the pollution of its waters, however to date few reports have been reported in the news. Definitive data from which reasonable conclusions can be drawn will eventually be available in the coming weeks.”
Certainly all the National Olympic Committees “have top-level health staff who are ready to deal with both the risk of injury and the prevention of diseases. There are specific preparation protocols that minimize each risk as much as possible and rehabilitation treatments that are applied in conditions of necessity, not to mention the definition of all the biomechanical aspects that are fundamental for some disciplines. Therapies – continues the doctor-physiatrist and full professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Salento – such as cryotherapy, massage therapy, hydrokinesitherapy are generally included in the recovery protocol of many sports, alongside attention to the nutritional and mental approach. The Olympic athlete must be assessed in a personalized way, knowing his peculiar characteristics a priori that allow us to individualize his management from every point of view”.
“In the event of an injury, there are then, depending on the severity of the injury, a series of rehabilitation treatments that can allow the situation to be managed: instrumental physical therapy (laser therapy, electrotherapy, shock waves), ultrasound-guided infiltration therapy to better reach the target (prp, oxygen-ozone therapy, hyaluronic acid), motor and postural re-education. Naturally, given the tight timeframe of the Olympic event, it is not always possible to manage the injury during the competition itself, but we must also consider that sometimes the athletes who reach the competition have undergone some types of treatment during the season that led to the Olympics, and that in some cases they can and must continue the treatments”, specifies Bernetti.
Furthermore, “many of the rehabilitation treatments are also applied for preventive purposes and to minimize the risk of injury itself. Let’s not forget that the Paralympic Games will also begin soon, also in this case the management of the athletes is crucial, with some particular critical issues such as the use of specific equipment (ortheses, aids and dedicated sports prostheses) and the biomechanical overload in some measures even greater”, concludes the doctor-physiatrist.
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