Epidemiology of time-loss injuries in international fencing: a prospective, 5-year analysis of Fédération Internationale d'Escrime competitions.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the risk of time-loss injuries in international fencing and to characterise their type, location, severity and mechanism. Variations in risk associated with sex and discipline categories are also examined.
Methods: Data on participation and withdrawal due to injury from 809 competitions comprising the major events of the 2010-2014 seasons (inclusive) for the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime were compiled from official results. Athletes who withdrew due to injury sustained in each competition were contacted individually to obtain follow-up information including time lost from fencing participation (practice/competition) and sequelae.
Results: A total of 176 injuries were recorded from 637 776 athlete exposures (AEs) in 85 686 participants (men=47 869; women=37 817) over the study period, for an overall incidence of 0.28/1000 AEs (95% CI 0.24 to 0.32). Men had significantly greater risk than women (RR=1.42, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.94); épée had a significantly lower risk than foil or sabre (RR=0.52, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.76; RR=0.47, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.69, respectively). The majority of injuries were sprains (40.8%) and strains (20.1%), which occurred in the lower extremities (72.4%); ankle sprains were the most common specific injury (25.3%). Intrinsic effort of the fencer (non-contact injury) was the most common mechanism related to a time-loss injury (47.1% of cases). The overall median time loss was 4 weeks; 32.1% of the injuries involved 2 weeks or less away from fencing participation.
Conclusion: The data indicate that the risk of time-loss injury in international fencing is very low and primarily involves sprains and strains in the lower extremity.
Competing Interests: Competing interests: PAH was a member of the Medical Commission of the FIE during the conduct of this study.
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