Introduction: Triathlon is a multidisciplinary endurance sport, which consists of three disciplines: swimming, cycling and running. During the last decade the number of triathletes increased, hence the higher number of injuries, typical for this sport. However, only a few epidemiological studies addressing triathlon injury prevention have been made. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma thesis is to present injuries in triathlon and their frequency based on a literature review, because this information is important for preventing these kinds of injuries in the future. Working methods: The review of academic and scientific literature that examines injuries in triathlon: the literature was found in the COCHRANE database and the Digital Library of University of Ljubljana (DiKUL). Studies published before year 2016 in both Slovenian and English language were considered. Results: Nine studies were found that met the criteria for the literature review. It was difficult to compare the chosen studies because of the differences in the demographic characteristics of participants and the methodologies used in the studies. It was determined that 34–72% of triathletes had at least one injury. Most of them were the result of overuse (29–78%). Out of all three sports, running has caused the most injuries (50–65%) and swimming the least (0–12%). The knee is the most commonly injured body part (17–33%). Most of the injuries were minor. 16–23% of injuries have resulted in the temporary cessation of all activities in all three disciplines, while 78–85% of injuries have resulted in temporary cessation of running trainings, 37–38.5% of cycling trainings and 21–29% of swimming trainings. The incidence of injuries was higher during competition than during training sessions. Discussion and conclusion: Despite the fact that every year the interest in triathlon is increasing, not as many studies about triathlon injuries are made in comparison to other sports. There are many shortcomings in the epidemiological studies, therefore, it would be necessary to develop standardized procedures for collecting and interpreting data for easier and better overview. As already mentioned, most of the injuries, albeit minor, were a result of overuse, since triathlon requires a large amount of training. Running has the highest rate of injuries, where the knee is the most commonly injured body part. Risk factors are poorly researched, the most important of which are previous injuries and the number of years practicing triathlon.
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