Brit. J. Sports Med. - Vol. 16, No. 4, December 1982, pp. 236-240

ORIENTEERING INJURIES

Jean M. FOLAN, BSc, MB, BCh, BAO

Department of Anatomy, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

Jean FolanABSTRACT

At the Irish National Orienteering Championships in 1981 a survey of the injuries occurring over the two days of com-petition was carried out. Of 285 individual competitors there was a percentage injury rate of 5.26%. The articlediscusses the injuries and aspects of safety in orienteering.

Key Words: Orienteering. Injuries.

INTRODUCTIONOrienteering is a competitive sport where the partici-pants must navigate between set control points in un-known terrain. Using a map and compass this is accom-plished as quickly and efficiently as possible by whateverroute choice the competitor interprets as best for them.A widely established sport in Scandinavia there is nowan increasing interest and participation in othercountries, including the UK and Ireland. The competi-tion courses vary in length from 2.0 km to 10.0 km andon any event day there are courses suitable to allstandards and ages from children through adult toveteran. Intelligence and stamina are required tocomplete the course rapidly taking into considerationthe extremely varied nature of the terrain. Generally runin hilly, forested areas, orienteering courses present suchterrain features as crags, boulders, cliff faces, gullies,rivers, streams, marshes, brambles. The varying densitiesof the forestry growth allied with in some areas up to300 m of climbing add to the problems for the orienteer.

Reports of orienteering injury are few and admittedlythe type of injury occurring may be classified withrunning injuries. Four recent publications from Finlandrefer to orienteering injuries. Of 147 exertion injuriesin athletes under 15 years of age 4 were attributable toorienteering. These were located one in the knee, one inthe leg, and two in the Achilles tendon, ankle and footcomplex (Orava and Puranen, 1978). Seven cases of ilio-tibial tract friction syndrome out of 88 reportedoccurred in orienteers (Orava 1978). On reviewingathletes' leg pains, specifically overuse pain in theshin, over a five year period 7.3% were in orienteers with

a 44.2% incidence in middle and long distance runnersand a 19.8% incidence in joggers (Orava and Puranen,1979). In an 8 year review of exertion injuries in femaleathletes 2.8% occurred in orienteers (Orava, Hulkko andJormakka, 1981).

The nature of the terrain, the varied level of fitnessof the participants - many of whom do not train forthe sport but participate each weekend - and the wideage range of the orienteers from under 10 to over 60 -were all factors which prompted this survey of injuriesoccurring in the sport of orienteering.

MATERIALS AND METHODThe Irish Orienteering Championships in April, 1981were chosen as a suitable event at which to assess theinjuries that might occur. Held over two days, the Cham-pionships had the Individual competition on Day 1 andthe relay competition on Day 2. The venues were inCo. Wexford in the southeast of Ireland. Writtenrequests to team managers and competitors throughnotices handed out at the event centre requested that allinjuries be reported to the Medical Officer who wassituated at the finish on both days of the competition.Assistance was granted by local units of the St. John'sAmbulance Brigade and the Red Cross Society. Datacollected was minimal, age, event class, presentingcomplaint and how it occurred. Treatment renderedwas appropriate for the injury.

In Curracloe on Day 1 of the competition there were253 participants, 180 male and 73 female. Table 1 showsthe numbers of competitors according to their coin-

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CAMOLIN WOOD Map used for the Relay event on Day 2

Orienteering through open wood, map and compass in hand

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TABLE I

Day 1: Individual Competition, numbers of participantswith their competition class, and number of non-finishers

TABLE 11

Injuries reported

DAY 1

MALESCompetition No. N/FClass of

Par-tici-pants

H 21 AH 35H 43H 50H 19H 17H 15H 13H 11H 10H 21 B

5519147

22914165415

180

3

3

11

8

FEMALESDisq Competition No. N/F

Class ofPar-tici-pants

4 D 19A1 D 352 D43

D 502 D 17

D 15D 13

2 D 1 1D 10D 19 B

11

2274366

13246

73

2

3

H = Herren 6D = Damen 9D 35 = Women over 35, D 17 = Girls over 17 &cCompetition Class H 35 = Men over 35, H 17 = Boys over 17 &cClasses H 21 B and D 19 B were non-competitiveN/F = Non-finishers, retired. Disq = Disqualified

CompetitionClass

Disq D19AD 17D 50D 19 A

1 D 19A1 D 19A1 M 35

1 D 19 A2 M 171 D 17

M 19M 19

7 M21 AM21 AM21 A

InjuryRight ankle sprainLeft ankle sprainRight gastrecnemius strainRight Achilles tendonitisGrazed right handConjunctival irritationConjunctival irritation

DAY 2Cut and blistered heelsCut and blistered heelsCut and blistered heelsCut and blistered heelsLeft semimembranosus strainBruised right footBruised left thighFractured proximal phalynx on right great toe

competed on both days and that there were 285 com-petitors in total, with 15 injuries over the two days therewas a percentage injury rate of 5.26%.

petition classes. In the relay event at Camolin on Day 2the competitors were divided into teams of threeorienteers competing in their respective dasses. Therewere 234 competitors on Day 2 the majority of whom -202, had already competed on Day 1. Overall therewere 285 individuals who competed in the Champion-ship.

On Day 1 in Curracloe the weather was extremelywet and cold with a strong northeast wind blowing downthe adjacent beach and sand dunes from the Irish Sea.This Curracloe wood and its map was unusual for Irishorienteers. The terrain with numerous steep sandy slopesand depressions is more akin to the terrain and contourdetail that prevails in Scandinavia and it demandedskilful technique and fitness from the competitors.The Camolin wood on day 2 for the relay competitionwas a more traditional Irish wood with numerous forestpaths and features.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONTable 11 illustrates the injuries recorded on each day ofthe competition according to the competition class. Thenumber of injuries on Day 1 with 253 competing was 7representing a 2.76% incidence for that day. The 8injuries on Day 2 with 232 competitors shows a 3.41%incidence. Taking into consideration that 202 orienteers Running down slope to the finish

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Table Ill represents data on the length of the indiv-idual courses and the time taken by the fastest andslowest competitors. On some of the courses orienteerswere out in the woods for over three hours. This may bedue to technique inexperience with inadequate navi-gation between controls, or to a lack of physical fitness.A combination of both factors must be considered. Thelonger a period of time an orienteer is out in the woodsand exposed to the elements the more likely are errorsof judgement and route choice.

In considering the safety of the orienteer when he isout in the woods the regulations of the sport demandthat certain precautions be adhered to. Namely, thatpotentially hazardous areas be indicated to theorienteers, it is advised that participants wear full bodyclothing to protect from the inevitable multiplescratches and all should carry a whistle in case ofaccident. The dosing time for the event is listed at thestarting area, the organisers have a record of all whoofficially commenced the courses and all orienteers mustreport to the finish area even if they have not completedthe course. The onus is on the organisers to ensure thatthere are no further orienteers out in the woods at theend of the day's competition.

An aspect of safety at an event that should provideconcern is the car parking arrangements. At Camolinon Day 2 of these Championships an orienteer intent on

TABLE IllCourse length, with the fastest, average and slowest

time on each courseCompetition CourseClass Length

(km)

H21 AH 35H 43H 50H 19H 17H 15H 13H 11H 10H 21 B

D 19AD 35D 43D 50D 17D 15D 13D 11D 10D 19 B

11.510.08.05.09.58.06.04.53.53.08.0K

9.55.55.05.06.04.53.53.03.06.0

WinningTime(Minutes)

71.5076.1985.0861.5479.2071.5952.1247.2035.0925.33

AverageTime(Minutes)

121.32104.39117.0094.16111.5697.3771.2485.3964.1250.32

Non-competitive

81.49105.0491.0381.3874.1054.3731.3539.1329.45

121.36120.46113.04145.5181.0779.0154.1239.1355.49

Non-competitive

SlowestTime(Minutes)

229.52128.38159.50134.57139.37195.2697.55118.44105.5960.48

182.50146.29147.14236.0691.07106.0687.01

64.45

Orienteering through dense vegetation

his route to the next control ran from the cover of thewoods onto the path of an oncoming car moving from aplace where car parking was forbidden. The athlete'sreflexes enabled him to jump on the bonnet of the carand he sustained mild thigh bruising. The organisersmust ensure that all car parking be in a restricted areaand that if the competition courses must traverse roads,adequate warning notices must be posted for the on-coming traffic.

The weather on Day 1 in Curracloe with the strongnortheast wind blowing sand into the wood provideda problem for two of the orienteers who developed aconjunctival irritation. Interestingly, both of thesecompetitors were wearing contact lenses.

The nature of the terrain took its toll of injury. Theathlete who sustained the fracture of the proximalphalynx of his great toe recalls stubbing his foot againstexposed tree roots. The two ankle sprains, semimen-branosus strain and the Achilles tendonitis were in factall old injuries incurred in the previous weeks of com-petition. The persistence of the orienteers in competingwith injury is perhaps explained that the NationalChampionships are the most important event of the yearfor the majority of competitors.

On Day 2 there was a preponderance of orienteerspresenting with blistered and cut heels, sustained on theprevious day's competition. These athletes were advisedon zinc oxide taping of potential blister sites. This injury

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was more noticeable with a certain type of orienteeringshoe.

The occurrence in orienteers of multiple smallscratches, cuts and bruises sustained whilst runningthrough thick and thin vegetation are accepted casuallyby the orienteer and not considered worth reportingto the Medical Officer. In view of the risk of contractingTetanus all orienteers should be advised as to thenecessity for adequate up-to-date anti-tetanus immunis-ation.

.. ...........

-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Running down a slope to the finish

As with any sporting event the most exciting part inan orienteering event is at the finish area. Here secondsmay mean the difference in winning and losing and asthe competitors in individual competition all commencetheir courses at different times often the winner of theevent is not known until the final times are calculated.This was well illustrated at the 1982 Irish Champion-ships where in the most competitive dass H 21 A was

won by a mere second. The run in to the finish line waswhere one competitor received albeit a minor handinjury in her anxiety to finish well aligned with physicaltiredness.

The Medical Officer at any sporting event must beprepared for injury not only in the competitors butwith the spectators. One case at this event was a fingerlaceration in a 2 year old boy. Whilst playing in the sanddunes he cut his hand on an old tin can.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONIn Table IV a summary of the data from this surveyon orienteering injuries is presented.

TABLE IV

Summary

Total number of competitors Day 1 253Total number of competitors Day 2 232Competitors who competed on Day 1 and 2 202Total number of individuals competing atthe Championships 285

Number of injuries Day 1 7 = 2.76%Number of injuries Day 2 8 = 3.41%

Total percentage of injury for the Championships 5.26%

In conclusion, the challenge in orienteering ispresented by the terrain and environment through whichevents are run allied to the technical expertise andphysical fitness of the orienteer. These factors influencethe occurrence of injury in orienteering and should betaken into consideration in the training of orienteers,the planning of courses and the organisation oforienteering events.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe author aknowledges the assistance given by thefollowing:Ajax Orienteering and Athletic ClubSt. John's Ambulance Brigade, CurracloeIrish Red Cross Society, CamolinCounty Hospital, WexfordPat Flanagan, photography

REFERENCES

Orava, S. and Puranen, J., 1978 "Exertion injuries in adolescent athletes". Brit.J.Sports Med. 12 (1): 4-10.

Orava, S., 1978 "Iliotibial tract syndrome in athletes". Brit.J.Sports Med. 12 (2): 69-73.

Orava, S. and Puranen, J., 1979 "Athletes leg pains". Brit.J.Sports Med. 13 (3): 92-97.

Orava, S., Hulkko, A. and Jormakka, E. "Exertion injuries in female athletes". Brit.J.Sports Med. 15 (4): 229-233.

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