Getting to the point: injury patterns and medical care in competitive fencing

Modern competitive fencing, consisting of the three disciplines of foil, epee, and sabre, has experienced a rapid growth in participation across all age groups in the USA in the past decade. Unfortunately, because of media sensationalism and a lack of well-designed epidemiological studies, there are significant misconceptions regarding both the incidence and types of injuries presented in fencing. Recent research has indicated that the rate of time-loss injuries in competitive fencing is very low and the majority of these injuries are lower extremity sprains and strains, typical of ballistic, change-of-direction sports. However, most medical assistance in fencing is for minor (nontime-loss) soft tissue injuries (blisters, contusions, abrasions). Although extremely rare, significant fencing-specific injuries, such as lacerations and punctures, occur. Medical personnel dealing with fencing competitions need to be aware of the potential for catastrophic or fatal wounds.