Background: Physical exercise is one of the essential activities people can do to improve their health and is a necessary asset for healthy aging. However, over-exercising may lead to an increase in the range of acute and overuse musculoskeletal injuries. The aim of this study was to estimate the extent of exercise-related injuries and evaluate the common types of those injuries among female gym members in the Qassim region.
Methodology: In this prevalence study, we targeted women attending gym centers in the Qasism region. A structured questionnaire was delivered online and 247 respondents completed the questionnaire. The main outcome measured were self-reported injuries, their location, and type.
Results: Of the respondents, 49% of them responded yes, they have injuries and, on the other hand, 51% had no injuries. There was no difference in the frequency of injuries between members who were trained by a trainer and those who are not (p-value = 0.788). Injuries varied according to body mass index (BMI). Injuries by anatomic location were counted as: injuries of the ankle (20.9%), the second most common location was the knee (19.0%), and the third most common location was the thigh (15.7%). The most common injury by body part was the injury of the muscles (55.7%) and most of these injuries were muscle strains (52.2%). Other less common injuries included ankle sprains and traumas that led to different bruises.
Conclusion: Physical activity is an important component in improving and maintaining health; however, injury is also an accompanying risk, and since the physical exercise trend is increasing among females in Saudi Arabia, we need more effective injury prevention methods.
Key words: Female gym members, exercise-related injuries, sport injury, sport club
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