Education & Resources

The tendon health infographic provides athletes, clinicians and strength coaches with education regarding management and exercise strategies to optimize tendon health and function.

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• NGB Medical Standards - Manual & Resources
• NGB Medical Standards - Best Practices

Injury Epidemiology | July 2024

This study detailed the development and implementation of an injury and illness surveillance (IIS) system for Team USA athletes. The IIS system aims to provide a standardized method for collecting injury and illness data during and between Games periods, integrating across USOPC clinics and sport NGBs, and ensuring consistency among providers caring for Team USA athletes. The IIS development followed a multiphase approach, including determining variables based on the 2020 IOC consensus statement, evaluating hosting platforms, conducting focus groups and pilot tests with Sports Medicine staff, and refining the system based on feedback from pilot tests during the 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games. Ongoing improvements are necessary to meet the evolving needs of Team USA athletes and medical staff. Future plans, some of which are already underway, include incorporating mental health symptom tracking, capturing athlete exposure for more accurate risk assessments, and continuing to refine the IIS system based on user feedback and changing requirements.

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British Journal of Sports Medicine | July 2024

The USOPC sports medicine research team recently assisted with a study that aimed to co-construct a sports medicine and exercise science (SMES) research agenda by centering the voices of elite female athletes from Team USA, ensuring their health, performance, and well-being are prioritized in research and translation efforts. The final research agenda comprised 14 topics, with the top five being menstrual cycle symptoms, recovery, birth control, mental health, and fueling and the menstrual cycle. Topics such as institutionalized sexism, team dynamics, and sports performance also emerged as important areas of focus. This study is the first to co-construct a research agenda with elite female athletes, providing a foundation for future research that directly addresses the needs and concerns of female athletes.

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British Journal of Sports Medicine | July 2024

We recently published a study examining the incidence and characteristics of illnesses and injuries among Team USA athletes competing at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games (PAG) and Parapan American Games (PPAG). Respiratory illness rates returned to pre-Tokyo levels, with 3.2% of PAG athletes and 8.9% of PPAG athletes reporting a respiratory illness, compared to only 0.4% and 1.1% at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, respectively. Illness and injury rates were 2-3 times higher during the pre-opening ceremony period compared to the competition period for both PAG and PPAG. New Olympic/Paralympic sports showed high injury rates: breaking (250.0 per 1000 athlete-days), Para taekwondo (93.8 per 1000 athlete-days), and surfing (88.9 per 1000 athlete-days). PPAG athletes were 2.5 times more likely to sustain an illness compared to PAG athletes, with female Paralympic athletes at 2.7 times higher risk than male Paralympic athletes.

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Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise | May 2024

This review examined elite athletes' current behaviors and practices when preparing for competition in extreme heat conditions, which are becoming more frequent due to global warming. The study focused on heat acclimation/acclimatization (HA) strategies and cooling and hydration interventions. Key findings include: 1) Available research covers only about 6% of competing athletes, primarily endurance athletes at major events, 2) adoption of evidence-based HA strategies has generally increased since 2015 but is not universal, and 3) athletes from cold/temperate environments are less likely to adopt HA, citing cost and lack of access to facilities as main barriers. The article recommends further research across various sports to better understand elite athlete practices. It also suggests that international federations and national governing bodies should enhance their efforts to educate athletes by regularly updating and disseminating evidence-based guidelines for competing in hot conditions, in multiple languages, to increase the adoption of HA and other heat-related best practices.

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British Association of Sport & Exercise Medicine | April 2024

This study examined the distribution of injuries and illnesses among 1,703 Team USA staff members who worked during the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A total of 32 illnesses and 23 injuries were reported by Team USA delegation staff members. Female staff were over two times more likely to report an illness compared to male staff. Conversely, male staff were nearly three times more likely to report an injury compared to female staff. The majority of injuries (60.9%) and highest injury rates were reported by sport coaches/managers/ equipment staff. This paper provides data to help understand medical needs for future large-scale events and to help guide prevention strategies for improving the health of staff members caring for Team USA athletes at those events.

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International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance | January 2024

In a recent study, we established athlete-specific reference ranges for sleep quality in over 1,600 Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Thirty-nine percent showed poor sleep based on thresholds established for the general population. These PSQI-based scores were further used to identify subgroups at higher risk for impaired sleep - namely female athletes, winter sport athletes, and individual sport athletes. Targeting sleep education and interventions to these groups can optimize health and performance outcomes. We recommend frequent sleep assessments, including during health screenings to flag poor sleepers and distribute appropriate resources.

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International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance | January 2024

This study examined strategies to minimize jet lag in visually impaired (VI) Paralympic athletes when traveling across time zones. Light-based therapies are ineffective for athletes lacking light perception. These athletes should use gradual pre-travel shifting of meals and exercise to shift circadian rhythms. Melatonin supplementation can also assist circadian realignment when timed appropriately. Guides/partners who assist VI athletes should match their schedules to the athlete to aid adaptation. These results provide individualized recommendations to optimize travel adaptations and performance maintenance in VI athletes. Implementation could improve athlete availability and peak performance during international competitions. Continued research on jet lag management in Paralympic populations is warranted.

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British Journal of Sports Medicine | October 2023

This study aimed to examine injury and illness rates among Team USA athletes at the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, specifically looking for differences based on gender and athlete type (Olympic or Paralympic). The research involved 231 Olympic athletes and 63 Paralympic athletes, with medical encounters during the Games documented. Injuries and illnesses were defined according to established criteria and reviewed for accuracy by a physician. The study found that there were no significant gender-based differences in illness or injury rates. However, Paralympic athletes had higher rates of both illnesses and injuries compared to their Olympic counterparts. These findings emphasize the need for more targeted strategies to prevent injuries and illnesses among Paralympic athletes, potentially including equipment modifications and additional preparations. It's also crucial for medical staff to be aware of the greater health challenges that Paralympic athletes may face during the Winter Games.

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To learn more about Team USA women's health initiatives, visit the USOPC Women's Health Hub.

Each month, the taskforce hosts a webinar on women’s health topics open to athletes to learn and ask questions.

Topics have spanned:

• Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)
• Trauma/Abuse/Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE)
• Menses
• Pelvic pain/dysfunction
• Hormones
• Fertility
• Pre- and Postnatal care and exercise
• Pregnancy
• Nutrition
• Training guidelines

In 2023, the taskforce supported the Female Athlete Voice project in collaboration with Stanford University, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard University and the University of Washington. Through this work, we conducted a focused athlete survey, which captures the voices and perspectives of 40 Team USA female Olympic and Paralympic athletes, yielding 14 priority topics important to Team USA female athletes. Among the topics were the impact of menstrual cycles on training and performance, the impact of female physiology on recovery processes, mental skills and the effects of specific types of birth control options.

Read the full research study and findings in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.