Knee Ligament Injuries in Track and Field Athletes

Track and field is composed of a variety of events including running, throwing, jumping, and combined events. Although injuries to knee ligaments, including the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and medial and lateral collateral ligaments, occur less frequently in track and field than in other sports, knee ligament injuries may still occur in track and field athletes. Track and field athletes often also compete in additional sports which may place them at greater risk of injury to the knee ligaments. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the nature of knee ligamentous injury to properly prevent, diagnose, and manage these injuries in track and field athletes. This chapter discusses the epidemiology of knee ligament injuries in track and field athletes, provides an overview of knee ligamentous injuries followed by specific considerations for athletes competing in various track and field events, and concludes with an illustrative case presentation.