Injury patterns in synchronized skating: a growing and evolving sport

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Sled Hockey

Background:

• Limited data exists on synchronized skating injuries, despite increasing physical demands.
• No prior injury data specifically for junior synchronized skaters was available.
• This study addresses the gap in understanding injury patterns in this athletic discipline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the frequency and patterns of injuries in junior and senior synchronized skaters.
• To provide current injury data following the integration of new skills into synchronized skating.
• To compare injury incidence between junior and senior synchronized skaters.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive epidemiology study was conducted using anonymous questionnaires.
• Data was collected from 708 synchronized skaters (393 juniors, 315 seniors).
• Male skaters were excluded from the analysis.

Main Results:

• Lower extremity injuries were most common in both junior and senior skaters.
• Senior skaters showed a statistically significant higher cumulative incidence of spinal conditions (47.3%) compared to juniors (37.7%).
• Senior skaters had 1.9 times greater odds of sustaining head injuries compared to junior skaters.

Conclusions:

• This study provides novel insights into current synchronized skating injury patterns.
• A statistically significant cumulative incidence of head injuries and spinal conditions was observed in senior skaters.
• Findings underscore the importance of injury prevention strategies tailored to different competitive levels in synchronized skating.