Sports injury prevention

Sports participation is important from a public health perspective. There is no longer any doubt that regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature mortality in general, and of coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, obesity, and diabetes mellitus in particular.

The question is whether the health benefits of sports participation outweigh the risk of injury and long-term disability, especially in high-level athletes.A study has investigated the incidence of chronic disease and life expectancy of former male worldclassathletes.