Functional state and the occurrence of injuries among young athletes practicing cross-country skiing

Introduction: Despite the positive aspects of taking up physical activity, sport, in general, is inseparably associated with injuries, as well as straining or overloading of the musculoskeletal system. The aim of this study was to determine the functional state and injuries among young athletes practicing cross-country skiing. Material and methods: A total of 65 individuals participated in the study. The test group consisted of 33 individuals practicing cross-country skiing, while the control group consisted of 32 persons not involved in this sport. The study was divided into two stages. The first stage consisted of a survey in which participants completed a personal questionnaire and were asked to answer 17 questions. Next, the Funtional Movement Screen (FMS) test was carried out in both groups using a specialty devised assessment form. Results: The assessment of the risk of injury in both groups was similar, no statistically significant differences were found in this respect (p = 0.992). No statistically relevant relation was between the number of injuries sustained and the training experience of individuals in the test group (p = 0.056). There was no statistically significant relationship between the number of sustained injuries and the training experience of individuals included in the test group (p = 0.056), although this relationship was close to the threshold of statistical significance. Conclusions: Cross-country skiing training had no significant effect on musculoskeletal injuries. The FMS test result did not correlate with previously sustained injuries. Individuals who adopted preventive training schemes were less likely to sustain injuries.