Injuries in elite Korean fencers: an epidemiological study

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Injury Epidemiology
• Fencing Performance

Background:

• Elite athletes require specific injury risk assessments.
• Understanding injury patterns in Olympic-bound fencers is crucial for performance and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the incidence and characteristics of sports injuries in elite Korean fencers.
• To identify injury risk factors associated with training for the Olympic Games.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection on sports injuries over 8 years (2008-2015) at the National Training Center in Seoul.
• Stratification of elite fencing athletes by weapon category (sabre, epee, foil), sex, injury location, and severity.
• Analysis of injury incidence, location, and severity.

Main Results:

• A total of 1176 injuries were recorded, averaging 3.3 injuries per athlete annually.
• Lower extremities were the most common injury site (47.2%), followed by upper extremities (26.4%).
• Significant differences in injury location and severity were observed between male and female fencers (p≤0.005).

Conclusions:

• Injury data stratified by weapon and sex can inform targeted injury prevention programs.
• Understanding injury circumstances is key to reducing incidence and enhancing performance in elite fencers.
• This research provides valuable insights for developing effective sports injury management strategies in fencing.