Injuries in Breaking: An Overview and Synthesis of Case Reports and Letters to the Editor

Introduction: Breaking, also known as breakdancing, has evolved from street culture to a structured sport, debuting in the 2024 Olympics. Despite its popularity, limited data exists on injury prevalence, types, and risk factors associated with acute and overuse injuries sustained from breaking. While existing studies offer insights into common injury patterns, they provide limited analysis of the specific mechanisms behind these injuries. This overview aims to classify acute and overuse injuries in breaking, reviewing 50 years of literature to identify risk factors and high-risk movements. Methods: The overview followed a predefined protocol using the PICO framework and was registered at OSF, targeting case reports and letters to the editor involving breakers. Databases searched included PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and EBSCO, covering literature from the 1970s to December 2023. Inclusion criteria were strictly case reports and letters to the editor that focused on injuries sustained from breaking. Results: A total of 41 papers were selected for inclusion after screening, reading and data extraction. Among these, 36 papers were reviewed in detail, encompassing acute and overuse injuries. The reported injuries involve high-impact movements, particularly affecting the upper extremities, head, neck, and back during spins, balancing, landing, and sliding. Acute injuries included fractures and dislocations, while chronic conditions involved soft tissue injuries, stress fractures, and nerve compressions. Risk factors identified in case reports included the lack of training supervision and specific breaking maneuvers like flips, spins, and balancing acts. Conclusion: This is the first overview of case reports and letters to the editor that categorizes breaking injuries based on these types of papers. It demonstrates the value of detailed medical diagnoses and standardized injury classification compared to self-reported injury data commonly found in surveys. Gaining a deeper understanding of injury mechanisms and risk factors could help promote safer practices as breaking continues to evolve as a competitive sport.