Injury patterns in Division I collegiate swimming.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Athletic Training

Background:

• Limited understanding of collegiate swimming injury patterns despite large athlete participation.
• Over 42,000 swimmers compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A level annually.
• Need for epidemiological data on swimming-related injuries in collegiate athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the epidemiology of injuries in a NCAA Division I collegiate swimming team.
• To analyze injury patterns over a five-season period (2002-2007).
• To identify risk factors associated with collegiate swimming injuries.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive epidemiological study design.
• Analysis of musculoskeletal and head injuries from a Sports Injury Management System.
• Data collected on injury demographics, body part, stroke specialty, and activity at time of injury.

Main Results:

• Overall injury rates: 4.00/1000 exposures (men) and 3.78/1000 exposures (women).
• Most frequent injuries affected the shoulder/upper arm and neck/back.
• Freshman swimmers had the highest injury rates; risk increased for non-freestyle strokes.
• Injuries commonly occurred during practice and strength training.

Conclusions:

• Collegiate swimming programs should prioritize injury prevention for transitioning freshmen.
• Focus surveillance and prevention on shoulder injuries during in-pool activities.
• Address axial spine injuries during cross-training and strength conditioning.