The sports injuries (SI) quantification and association processes to their possible causal factors are important for a better understanding on the subject. The objective of the present study was the observation of SI in athletes of the Brazilian elite of the athletics, associating them to their installation mechanisms and characteristics of the modality. Eighty-six athletes were interviewed (47 men and 39 women) summoned to represent Brazil during the season of 2003. A previously validated inquiry of referred morbidity was used for the attainment of data regarding the athletes and their injuries. For the analysis of the results the test of Goodman was adopted for contrasts among and within binomial proportions, being all of the conclusions discussed for 5% of statistical significance. The results showed that there is a higher rate of injuries for athlete (I/a), in the combined events (3.5 I/a), followed by events of intensity (2.6 I/a), resistance (1.9 I/a) and jumps (1.9 I/a), respectively. The main causal mechanism is the high intensity, attacking preferentially sprinters and endurance runners. Another strong association was observed between muscular injuries and intensity events, that also present preference for injury occurrence in the thigh's region. The mechanism of high intensity was the main responsible for muscular injury while bone or joint injuries and tendinopathies occur in high training volume. It is concluded, based on those findings, there are associations between types of injuries and causal factors, as among events and injuries, injuries mechanisms and anatomical place.
Sports injuries; Athletics; High performance
