FREQUENCY OF INJURIES IN RECREATIONAL BODYBUILDING IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Ahmed Hussain Alqahtani* and Ali Abdullah Ali Alshehri

Background: Bodybuilding is widely recognized as a safe and effective way of engaging in physical workouts, however not without potential risks. The primary hazards to the musculoskeletal system are related to excessive strain on the joints due to repeated movements and errors in technical execution. Aim: To evaluate the frequency of injuries among recreational bodybuilders in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: An cross-sectional research was conducted among individuals engaged in bodybuilding in Saudi Arabia. Participants were given an online questionnaire using Google Link. The data was processed using the SPSS 23.0 software. The Chi-square test was used to examine the association between the incidence of injuries and socio-demographic and training parameters. The significance level was determined to be 0.05.

Results: 163 individuals participated in the present study. Males dominate the sample, comprising 67.5%, while females represent 32.5%. The largest age group is 20-29 years, comprising 35%. The most common training frequency is 6 days per week, reported by 19.0%. The most reported frequency of rest is 1 rest day per week (19%). 33.7% reported using weight range between 20-39 kilograms, while 27.6 5 reported lifting between 10- 19 kilograms. A majority, 61.3%, reported not being injured, while 38.7% reported experiencing an injury. Our results show a significant association between gender and injury rates among bodybuilders in the past 6 months (χ2 = 12.962, p = 0.001< 0.05). In addition, shows a significant association between age groups and injury rates among bodybuilders in the past 6 months (χ2 = 50.135, p = 0.001). The data reveals a significant association between bodybuilding experience and injury rates in the past 6 months (χ2 = 27.780, p = 0.001). The data shows no significant association between training multiple times a day and injury rates among bodybuilders in the past 6 months (χ2 = 0.751, p = 0.24). There is a significant association between bodybuilding supervision and injury rates in the past 6 months (χ2 = 40.536, p = 0.001). There is a significant association between training session duration and injury rates in the past 6 months (χ2 = 17.441, p = 0.002). However, we observed no significant association between the number of training days per week and injury rates among bodybuilders in the past 6 months (χ2 = 6.094, p = 0.413). Sprains were the most common type of injury, accounting for nearly one-third of all reported injuries, followed by strain-muscle tears. Dislocations accounted for 15.9% and general inflammation and pain (12.7%). The most commonly injured body parts are the bicep and hamstring, each accounting for 11.1% of the injuries. This is followed by the groin, ankle, and foot, each with 7.9% of the injuries.

Conclusion: The study found a 38.7% injury prevalence among recreational bodybuilders in Saudi Arabia, with bicep and hamstring injuries being the most common. Factors such as gender, age, bodybuilding experience, supervision, and training duration were associated with injury rates. The research could help health professionals reduce injury occurrence.