Objective: To investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) in collegiate marching band and color guard members and the associated factors.
Methods: An electronic survey was developed and delivered via the Qualtrics survey platform to collegiate marching band and color guard members in the United States. Information collected included demographics; years of experience; training and performance characteristics; footwear worn; instrument played/equipment used; participation in stretching/strengthening programs; injury prevalence and type; treatment sought for injury; and participation time lost due to injury.
Results: There were 1,379 (792 female, 587 male) members of 21 collegiate marching bands who completed the survey. Respondents had an average age of 19.8 yrs, height 171.9 cm, weight 72.3 kg, and BMI 24.4 kg/m2. Twenty-five percent of respondents reported sustaining a MSI as a result of participating in marching band or color guard. Females were 20% more likely to sustain a MSI and 87.7% of MSI involved the lower extremity. A significant difference in BMI was found between those who did and did not sustain a MSI (p=0.014).
Conclusions: Members of collegiate marching band and color guard may be at risk of sustaining a MSI due to the repetitive nature of the activities performed during practice and performance. The lower extremity is more prone to injury, and a higher BMI may be a risk factor for MSI in this population.