Prevalence of foot problems in Special Olympics athlete

NewsBot · Dec 7, 2010

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Prevalence of podiatric conditions seen in Special Olympics athletes: Structural, biomechanical and dermatological findings.
Jenkins DW, Cooper K, O'Connor R, Watanabe L, Wills C.
Foot (Edinb). 2010 Dec 2. [Epub ahead of print]

BACKGROUND: Podiatric conditions are frequently seen in persons with intellectual disabilities. Unfortunately, many are not detected or addressed. This study attempts to determine the prevalence of a variety of selected podiatric conditions in Special Olympics athletes and compare the findings to studies of a similarly matched general population.

METHODS: Screenings from 1580 Special Olympics athletes participating in a sampling of United States competitions in 2004-2006 were used for the analysis. The athletes voluntarily underwent a foot screening which followed the standardized Special Olympics Fit Feet protocol.

RESULTS: The most commonly identified conditions included overpronated gait, abducted gait, restriction in both the ankle and the first metatarsal phalangeal joint, pes planus, metatarsus adductus, brachymetatarsia, hallux abducto valgus, onychomycosis, onychocryptosis and tinea pedis.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The prevalence of all the structural conditions was notably higher than a similarly matched general population and both conditions and biomechanical/gait findings associated with ligamentous laxity like pes planus and hallux abducto valgus had especially high prevalence rates. Restricted motion in the ankle and first metatarsal phalangeal joint was surprising and may indicate some athletes have intellectual disabilities with contractures. The higher rates of dermatophyte related conditions may reflect increased exposure from the athletic competition environment, immunocompromise, issues with hygiene or both. Higher rates of onychocryptosis in the athletes may be due to ill fitting shoes and/or hygiene issues.
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GarethNZ · Dec 13, 2010

Great work team - the Fit Feet programme is an excellent way to expose this group of the world to the healthcare they deserve!!

Well done!!

pnunan · Dec 15, 2010

Gareth, how are things down in New Zealand? You guys have done a tremendous job with the Special Olympic athletes in your country. Thank you for all of your work and dedication!

admin · Oct 5, 2014

Prevalence of Podiatric Conditions Seen in Special Olympics Athletes: A Comparison of USA Data to an International Population
David W. Jenkins, Kimbal Cooper, Evelyn G. Heigh
The Foot; Articles in Press

Highlights
•Special Olympics athletes have a higher prevalence of certain podiatric conditions compared to the general population.
•The conditions more commonly seen in Special Olympics athletes compared to a general population are limited range of motion of ankle, limited range of motion of the 1st MTPJ, pes planus, pes cavus, metatarsus adductus, brachymetatarsia, hallux abducto valgus, onychomycosis, onychocryptosis, xerosis and hyperhidrosis, and tinea pedis.
•Several of the conditions investigated in this study differed significantly between the international Special Olympics cohort and the USA cohort.
•Very small differences in pes cavus, metatarsus adductus and tailor's bunion were observed between cohorts.
•The work of Special Olympics Fit Feet program allows a greater understanding of the podiatric conditions of a population of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
•Future Fit Feet events may wish to consider objective/standardized testing for range of motion testing of the ankle and first MRPJ as well as diagnosis of hallux abducto valgus. Formal training for Fit Feet clinicians should not only include these parameters but better define such conditions as pes planus, pes cavus, etc.
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Background
Persons with intellectual disabilities frequently have podiatric conditions. Limited information exists on their prevalence in international cohorts of Special Olympics (SO) athletes. Findings from multiple United States (US) venues are compared to those from athletes screened at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece. (ATHENS)

Methods
Data from Fit Feet screenings from 2,096 ATHENS participants was compared to 7,192 US participants.

Results
Frequently noted in the ATHENS population were motion restriction in both the ankle and the first metatarsal phalangeal joint (1st MTPJ), pes planus, metatarsus adductus, brachymetatarsia, hallux abducto valgus (HAV), onychomycosis, onychocryptosis, and tinea pedis.

ATHENS differed from the US cohort as HAV and restricted ankle joint and 1st MTPJ joint motion was less frequent. Significantly more tinea pedis, xerosis, and hyperhidrosis were present in the ATHENS population.

Discussion/Conclusion
SO athletes have a higher prevalence of podiatric structural conditions compared to the general population, and some vary between ATHENS versus US. Less prevalent in ATHENS was HAV, and restricted motion in both the ankle and 1st MTPJ. This may reflect differences due to varied clinical observers. The higher rates of several dermatological conditions in ATHENS may reflect venue seasonal climate, or social factors.
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NewsBot · Apr 11, 2022

Injury Trends in Special Olympics Athletes From the 2018 USA Games
Newman, Bram MD et al
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine: April 1, 2022

Objective:
To categorize injury types and occurrence among athletes participating in the Special Olympics (SO).

Design:
Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study.

Setting:
2018 SO USA Games.

Participants:
Athletes participating in 14 sports at the 2018 SO USA Games (n = 2251).

Independent Variables:
Individual and team sports.

Main Outcome Measures:
Percentage of athletes injured per individual sport, percentage of injury type by sport, rate of injuries per 1000 exposures, and number of injuries per game in team sports.

Results:
In individual sports, the percentage of athletes injured ranged from 38.5% in gymnastics to 12.9% in golf. Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries occurred in 53.3% of gymnastics injuries and 58.6% of tennis injuries. For stand-up paddleboard, most injuries were non-MSK (66.7%). The highest rate of MSK injuries occurred in gymnastics (25.6/1000 exposures), whereas the highest rates of non-MSK injuries (95.2/1000 exposures) and minor injuries (47.6/1000 exposures) were among stand-up paddleboard athletes. In team sports, the highest number of injuries per game occurred in softball (1.9 per game).

Conclusions:
A high percentage of injuries occurred at the 2018 SO USA Games. The high rate of non-MSK injuries is unique to the SO and should be considered when planning medical coverage for future events.
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