In this lecture I will review the national public health physical activity recommendations, the effects of activity on the musculoskeletal system and describe injury patterns and risk factors for activity-related injuries using data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study conducted at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas, TX. The Cooper Institute’s website is http://www.cooperinst.org.

At the conclusion of this lecture, participants should be able to:

1.) Describe the effects of physical activity on the musculoskeletal system

2.) Discuss injury as a barrier to physical activity

3.) Describe injury patterns among men and women engaged in recreational physical activity

4.) List modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for injury among men and women