The 2004 Paralympic Games: Physiotherapy Services in the ParalympicVillage Polyclinic

摘要

The purpose of this study was to document the injuries sustained by athletes and non-athletes who were admittedto the physiotherapy department (PTD) of the Paralympic Village polyclinic (PVP) during the Athens 2004 ParalympicGames (PG) and to offer information about the provision of physiotherapy services which could be taken into accountwhen planning similar athletic events. Documentation of injuries was based on the physiotherapy treatment reports of 131athletes and 30 non-athletes (15–72 years of age), who were admitted to the PTD of the PVP during a 24-day operatingperiod (6th and 30th of September 2004). Most injuries occurred to athletes who competed using mainly the upper extremityand body whether they made use of a wheelchair or not (n = 64, 48.9%), followed by the visually impaired (n = 34,25.9%), the ambulant (n = 24, 18.3%) and the cerebral palsy athletes (n = 9, 6.9%). The majority of patients suffered acute(n = 84, 64.1%) and overuse injuries (n = 29, 22.1%) with the shoulder and spine to be the most prevalent sites of injury inboth the athletic and the non-athletic population. More injured athletes were admitted to the PTD before the actual competitionperiod (n = 69) compared to those admitted during the competition period (n = 62). However, the mean number oftreatment sessions provided before the beginning and during the PG was 21.3 and 31.8, respectively. Ultrasound and massagewere two of the modalities that were used more often for the treatment of sports injuries. Finally, recommendationsare provided as to how a PTD of a PVP in future Paralympic Games or in similar major athletic events should be betterorganised in order to optimize physiotherapy services.