Related Experiment Videos
[Injury patterns in Danish competitive swimming]
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|November 6, 1989
Summary
Competitive swimmers experience frequent injuries, particularly in the shoulder, back, and knee. Medal winners reported more injuries, highlighting the physical demands of elite swimming.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Swimming Biomechanics
Context:
- Investigating injury patterns in competitive swimming.
- Utilizing questionnaire data from Danish swimmers (1986/1987 season).
- Assessing injury incidence and prevalence within a specific competitive cohort.
Purpose:
- To determine the epidemiology of swimming-related injuries.
- To identify common injury sites and contributing factors.
- To explore the relationship between swimming stroke, performance level, and injury risk.
Summary:
- 100 injuries were reported by 80 swimmers (62% response rate) out of 432 surveyed.
- Injury incidence was 0.9 per 1,000 swimming hours; point prevalence was 15% on competition day.
- Shoulder, back, and knee joints were most affected; no stroke showed significantly higher risk, though butterfly and breaststroke swimmers had specific injury tendencies. Medal winners were more frequently injured.
Impact:
- Highlights the significant injury burden in competitive swimming.
- Informs targeted injury prevention strategies for swimmers.
- Provides baseline data for future research on swimming-related musculoskeletal disorders.