INJURY SURVEY OF ATHLETES AT THE NATIONAL SPORTS UNIVERSITY CHON BURI CAMPUS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THAILAND NATIONAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS COMPETITION “THE 48th PHYSICAL EDUCATION GAMES”

Abstract

Background
In competitions structured as multi-sport games, events are held on a daily basis, which places considerable strain on athletes' limited capacity for rest and recovery. Consequently, the prevention and management of injuries are of critical importance to competitive outcomes. To ensure effective injury prevention and care, it is essential for athletes, coaches, and other relevant stakeholders to study the nature of athletes' injuries, as such information serves as a vital foundation for team preparedness and for the appropriate planning of injury prevention strategies. This knowledge is also instrumental in supporting the care, prevention, and treatment processes necessary to help athletes perform to their fullest potential.

Purpose
This study aimed to survey the injuries sustained by athletes from the National Sports University of Thailand, Chonburi Campus, who participated in the 48th National University Games (2025), held at the National Sports University, Sukhothai Campus, and to examine the demographic factors and injury types associated with these injuries. The sample consisted of athletes from the National Sports University of Thailand, Chonburi Campus, who sustained injuries or illness during their participation in the competition.

Methods
The research instrument was an injury survey developed by the researcher specifically for athletes from the National Sports University of Thailand, Chonburi Campus, who competed in the 48th National University Games (2025). The instrument demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.80. Data were analyzed using percentage distribution and the chi-square (χ²) statistic, with a significance level set at 0.05.

Results
Among the total sample of 54 injured athletes, the sport category with the highest incidence of injury was semi-contact sports (37.2%). The body part most frequently injured was the ankle (35.5%), and the most common type of injury was muscle soreness (42.9%). Regarding therapeutic care received within the first 48 hours following injury, the most commonly applied method was basic first aid using the RICE principle (39.1%). In examining the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, it was found that sex, as an independent variable, had no significant effect on athletes' injury outcomes among the sample of 54 athletes who sustained injury or illness.

Conclusion
The injuries most commonly sustained by athletes from the National Sports University of Thailand, Chonburi Campus, occurred predominantly in semi-contact sports. The body part most frequently affected was the ankle, and the most commonly reported symptom was muscle soreness. The most frequently used method of therapeutic care within the first 48 hours after injury was basic first aid following the RICE principle, among other approaches.