Review of Injury Patterns of the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon to Optimize Medical Planning

Abstract

Medical planning for a marathon requires an understanding of the volumes and types of injuries experienced by runners during a race. This chart review of medical records from the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (N = 1016) measured volume and types of injuries at the race aid stations to determine the impact that race distance has on medical resource utilization. The type and volume of each injured runner diagnosis was compared between quartiles of the race using a chisquare analysis. The most common presenting complaints were musculoskeletal (MSK), followed by medical/other, and then wound care. The proportion of MSK complaints increased over the course of the race, whereas the percentage of medical and wound care complaints was highest at the finish line tents. Understanding the expected volume and type of injuries along the course of a race optimizes medical planning and leads to better utilization of resources and staff.