Citation

Harmer PA. Curr. Sports Med. Rep. 2008; 7(5): 303-307.

Affiliation

Department of Exercise Science, Willamette University, Salem, OR 97301, USA. pharmer@willamette.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1249/JSR.0b013e318187083b

PMID

18772692

Abstract

Modern competitive fencing, consisting of the three disciplines of foil, epee, and sabre, has experienced a rapid growth in participation across all age groups in the USA in the past decade. Unfortunately, because of media sensationalism and a lack of well-designed epidemiological studies, there are significant misconceptions regarding both the incidence and types of injuries presented in fencing. Recent research has indicated that the rate of time-loss injuries in competitive fencing is very low and the majority of these injuries are lower extremity sprains and strains, typical of ballistic, change-of-direction sports. However, most medical assistance in fencing is for minor (nontime-loss) soft tissue injuries (blisters, contusions, abrasions). Although extremely rare, significant fencing-specific injuries, such as lacerations and punctures, occur. Medical personnel dealing with fencing competitions need to be aware of the potential for catastrophic or fatal wounds.

Language: en