Acute Injuries Sustained by Racing Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and type of acute injuries sustained by 137 racing drivers. An ad hoc questionnaire was developed and was completed by 137 drivers with a mean age (SD) of 42 (15) years. Approximately half of the drivers had < 10 years of experience in auto racing (49%). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. There was a wide distribution of injuries of the knee (n=17, 12%), shoulder injuries (n=15, 11%), thorax/rib or ankle (n=13, 9%), hand (n=11, 8%), forearm (n=9, 7%) and neck or wrist injuries (n=7, 5%). Long-distance racing, more than 10 days per month spent on testing, short-distance racing, and full-time occupation were associated with increased incidence of injuries on multivariable analyses. The high incidence of acute injuries in race car driving indicates the need for further improvements.