A Perfect Storm?: The Association of Vitamin D with Injury Incidence among Acrobatics and Tumbling Athletes

Purpose: Acrobatics and Tumbling (A&T) is an emerging NCAA sport. Due to the novelty of the sport, limited research on injury incidence and correlates exists. Anecdotal evidence suggests that A&T presents with high injury rates. A relationship between vitamin D and bony injuries exists among athletes, but little is known about soft tissue injuries. Understanding the causes and incidence of injuries, including vitamin D, may assist athletic trainers. Methods: Forty-two A&T athletes (19.69 +/- 1.199 years) completed 2 blood draws as part of routine medical care prior to and following fall training period. Results: Average vitamin D at T1 was 47.976 +/- 18.874 ng/ml and T2 was 41.883 +/- 18.453 ng/ml. Injury variables (i.e., incidence, mechanism) and time loss (TL) were recorded between blood draws. T -tests and ANOVAs assessed differences in injuries and TL based on serum vitamin D. Poisson and logistic regressions were utilized to assess injury and TL odds ratios based on vitamin D. Twenty-eight injuries were sustained and eleven participants suffered TL. Serum vitamin D significantly decreased an average of 6.093 +/- 10.973 ng/ml (pConclusions: No significant differences in injury status or TL based on vitamin D were identified. Identifiable patterns were found in injuries sustained by participants. Serum vitamin D concentrations showed a significant decrease as volume and intensity of training increased. The significant decrease in vitamin D and high injury incidence indicates a need for further monitoring of biomarkers, such as vitamin D, in these athletes and research to determine injury prevention strategies.