ISPUB.COM The Internet Journal of Rheumatology Volume 6 Number 1 1 of 6 A Retrospective Study Of Sports Injuries Reported At The National Sports Medicine Centre, Lagos, South-West, Nigeria O Owoeye, N Odunaiya, S Akinbo, D Odebiyi Citation O Owoeye, N Odunaiya, S Akinbo, D Odebiyi. A Retrospective Study Of Sports Injuries Reported At The National Sports Medicine Centre, Lagos, South-West, Nigeria. The Internet Journal of Rheumatology. 2008 Volume 6 Number 1. Abstract Background: Injuries arising from sports range from minor soft tissue strains to major disruption of vital organs and bone fractures. Each sport has its characteristic injury profile and the degree of risk and the injuries vary widely among the sports. There is however a paucity of literature on the epidemiology of sports injuries in Nigeria.Objective: The purpose of the study was to find out the nature and distribution of sports injuries presented by national athletes to the National Sports Medicine Centre, Lagos, Nigeria. Design: Retrospective study.Setting: National Sports Medicine Centre, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria.Participants: Case files of athletic patients in six selected sports.Results: A total number of 171 sports injuries were obtained at the general records unit of the sports medicine centre with a male to female ratio of 2:1. Muscle strain was the most frequent type of injury (33.3%) followed by sprain (22.2%). Majority of the injuries were to the lower limbs of which the thigh was the most injured (22.2%) followed closely by the knee (21.6%). Track and field events presented the highest number of injuries (37.4%).Conclusions: Incidence of sports injuries was highest in track and field events with muscle/tendon strains most frequent and majority of injuries were to the lower limbs. Therefore establishing injury prevention programmes and policies directed at the lower limbs may help reduce the risk of injuries to the lower limbs. INTRODUCTION The popularity of different sports activities has increased during the last three decades; a development that has been considered beneficial in many respects for the society as well as the individuals involved. The benefits of sports to humanity and the world at large cannot be overemphasized. It serves as a major avenue for global peace and unity, offers employment, a medium of cultural exchange among nations, tourism, means of discouraging juvenile delinquency and crime. But one of the deleterious effects of this development however, is increased number of sports injuries. 1 All athletes at the elite level sustain injury and will depend on the sports medicine team to assess and manage their injuries as soon as possible for them to return back as safely as possible. When an athlete is injured it is important that the athlete be rehabilitated to the activity level where he or she was before the injury with the least risk of re-injury and maintain a high performance. 2 Prevention of injuries in sports has for long been a major challenge to the sports medicine community globally. Researchers’ interest on the subject has led to a number of epidemiological studies on the type of injuries, causes and the parts of the body that are commonly injured during multi-sports events. 1345 Athletic injuries are determined by culture and location and vary widely in cause from one part of the world to another. 6 Internationally, studies have been carried out on sports injuries presenting to sports clinics. 7891011 Locally, studies have also been done on injuries in specific sports such as male and female football (soccer) 121314 and male basketball. 15 However, there is paucity of information on epidemiology of injuries in the various sports obtainable in Nigeria and study on injuries reported at the National Sports Medicine Centre [NSMC], Lagos Nigeria is lacking. The NSMC is located at the National Stadium, Lagos, South-West, Nigeria. It is the most functional official sports medicine centre in Nigeria where registered national athletes report to during training sessions, competitions, and post- season/competitions for treatment. However, a new centre