Citation

Chung WM, Yeung S, Wong AY, Lam IF, Tat Fai Tse P, Daswani D, Lee R. Clin. J. Sport. Med. 2012; 22(3): 278-280.

Affiliation

*Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong †Physiotherapy Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong ‡Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada §Department of Life Sciences, Roehampton University, London, England.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JSM.0b013e31824a577e

PMID

22430329

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in elite able-bodied and wheelchair foil fencers. DESIGN: A 3-year prospective cohort study of sport injuries during 2006-2009. SETTING: A sample of elite able-bodied and wheelchair fencers (WFs) from the Hong Kong National Squad. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 14 wheelchair and 10 able-bodied elite fencers completed the 3-year study. METHODS: Monthly interviews with fencers to collect data related to their injuries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence rate and relative risk of injury were analyzed among able-bodied and WFs with different trunk control ability. RESULTS: Wheelchair fencers had higher overall injury incidence rate (3.9/1000 hours) than able-bodied fencers (AFs) (2.4/1000 hours). Wheelchair fencers with poor trunk control were more vulnerable to injuries (4.9/1000 hours) than those with good trunk control (3.0/1000 hours). Upper extremity injuries were predominant in WFs (73.8%), with elbow (32.6%) and shoulder strain (15.8%) being the most common injuries. Lower extremity injuries were predominant in AFs (69.4%), with muscle strain over knee and thigh region (22.6%), ankle sprain (14.5%), and knee sprain (11.3%) being the leading injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this pilot study highlighted the distinct injury incidence between the 2 different fencer groups. Larg-scale epidemiologic and biomechanical studies are warranted to improve the understanding of fencing injuries to develop specific injury prevention/rehabilitation programs.

Language: en