Oh sport, are you life?
Of course, but only if you're not a professional athlete. Professional athletes are a category of people exposed to an increased risk of injuries and health problems, and in the long term at that.
For example, this study conducted among university athletes showed that 91% sustained at least one injury, averaging 2.28 injuries per athlete.
A broader study reports 2.64 injuries per 1000 hours of participation, with 40% sustaining injuries within one year. The most common injuries: lower back muscle strains, ankle sprains, and bone fractures. 59% of injuries occurred during training.
The top sports by injuries include: basketball, volleyball, soccer, hockey, boxing, rugby, lacrosse, and taekwondo.
Former elite athletes often suffer from musculoskeletal injuries, including osteoarthritis and joint replacement. They also sustain significant injuries throughout their athletic careers, which have long-term consequences for quality of life. At the same time, mortality from cardiovascular diseases in such athletes is usually lower. It's also interesting that many of them, after retirement, face diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle, such as obesity.
Overall, elite athletes may live longer than their non-athletic peers. But research shows that many of them face serious health problems in later life.