Restricted Activity Levels of Former Collegiate Athletes

Collegiate athletic programs place athletes in situations where high-intensity physical activity must be performed with little rest in order to be competitive. Injuries and overtraining are common. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prior participation in collegiate athletics on activity levels. METHODS: Across the southeast, former college athletes, and similar group of alumni, were surveyed via e-mail. RESULTS: Former athletes reported significantly (p<0.01) more major injuries (41.5%) and chronic injuries (50.3%) than controls, who reported 8% and 12%, respectively. Of the athletes, 21% required surgery on major and 12% required surgery on chronic injuries, which was significantly greater than controls who reported surgery on 5% of major and 2.8% of chronic injuries. Of athletes, 80.9% reported exercising with an injury and 64.6% reported exercising while ill, which was significantly greater (p<0.01) than controls, who reported 18% and 27%, respectively. Of the athletes, 35% reported having daily and 47% reported physical activity limitations. More athletes (21%) feel an injury they received during physical activity limits their current ability to perform activities in their daily life, which is significantly greater (p<0.01) than controls (5%). More athletes (30%) than controls (6.3%) reported that an injury during college physical activity limits their current ability to perform physical activity or exercise (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This suggests that prior collegiate athletics participation seems to have long term consequences. These data will help to determine the potential longterm risks associated with participation in competitive collegiate athletics.