Knee pain in competitive swimming

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Orthopedics
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Competitive swimming training involves high cumulative loads, leading to overuse injuries.
• Knee pain is a prevalent issue among swimmers, second only to shoulder pain.
• Medial knee pain is most common, particularly in breaststroke swimmers, but can occur in all strokes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the incidence and contributing factors of knee pain in competitive swimmers.
• To detail specific knee injury patterns, diagnostic approaches, and effective treatment and prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on swimming-related knee injuries.
• Analysis of biomechanical and anatomical factors predisposing swimmers to knee pain.
• Synthesis of current knowledge on diagnosis and management.

Main Results:

• High training volume is a primary cause of cumulative knee overload injuries in swimmers.
• Medial knee pain is the most frequent complaint, especially in breaststroke.
• Understanding biomechanical and anatomical predispositions is key to identifying at-risk swimmers.

Conclusions:

• Knee pain is a significant concern in competitive swimming, requiring targeted prevention and management.
• Addressing biomechanical and training load factors can mitigate knee injury risk.
• Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment are essential for returning swimmers to competition.