Pattern of Injury and Illness During Expedition-Length Adventure Races

The results of this and previous studies demonstrate a common pattern of injury and illness that includes a high frequency of skin and soft tissue injury, especially blisters. Injuries and illnesses such as altitude illness, contact dermatitis, and respiratory illness varied considerably among events. The number of patient encounters per athlete is similar among the studies, providing an approximation of the number of medical encounters expected given the number of participants. These results should assist medical providers for future events; however, it is imperative to carefully review the individual event to best predict the frequency of injury and illness.