Pedlar CR, Myrissa K, Barry M, Khwaja IG, Simpkin AJ, Newell J, Scarrott C, Whyte GP, Kipps C, Baggish AL. Medical encounters at community-based physical activity events (parkrun) in the UK.
Br J Sports Med 2021;
55:1420-1426. [PMID:
34348921 DOI:
10.1136/bjsports-2021-104256]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence, clinical correlates and exposure risk of medical encounters during community-based physical activity events in the UK.
METHODS
An analysis of medical data from weekly, community-based physical activity events (parkrun) at 702 UK locations over a 6-year period (29 476 294 participations between 2014 and 2019) was conducted in order to define the incidence and clinical correlates of serious life-threatening, non-life-threatening and fatal medical encounters.
RESULTS
84 serious life-threatening encounters (overall incidence rate=0.26/100 000 participations) occurred including 18 fatalities (0.056/100 000 participations). Statistical modelling revealed that the probabilities of serious life-threatening encounters were exceptionally low, however, male sex, increasing age, slower personal best parkrun time and less prior running engagement/experience (average number of runs per year and number of years as a parkrun participant) were associated with increased probability of serious life-threatening encounters. These were largely accounted for by cardiac arrest (48/84, 57%) and acute coronary syndromes (20/84, 24%). Non-life-threatening medical encounters were mainly attributed to tripping or falling, with a reported incidence of 39.2/100 000 participations.
CONCLUSIONS
Serious life-threatening and fatal medical encounters associated with parkrun participation are extremely rare. In the context of a global public health crisis due to inactivity, this finding underscores the safety and corollary public health value of community running/walking events as a strategy to promote physical activity.
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