Injury and Injury Prevention in United States Para Swimming: A Mixed-Methods Approach.
Jay Salerno, Stephanie Tow, Elizabeth Regan and 3 others
PMID 35136699WHAT IT FOUND
Half of surveyed U.S.
Para swimmers reported career injuries altering training, mostly shoulder pain. Few used formal prevention programs. Swimmers described unique biomechanical risks and fear that stopping swimming harms daily function more than other athletes.
Key findings
0152.4% of surveyed Para swimmers reported a career injury that altered weekly training, with the shoulder being the most common site.
02Most swimmers did not participate in specific injury prevention programs, and those who did still frequently reported injuries.
03Qualitative interviews revealed that Para swimmers view swimming as essential for daily function, making time away from the pool due to injury potentially more detrimental than for non-disabled swimmers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample size was very small (21 survey, 6 interviews), limiting generalizability to all Para swimmers. Injury data was retrospective and self-reported over the entire career, preventing calculation of true incidence or prevalence. Participants were elite national team members, so findings may not apply to recreational or lower-level Para swimmers. No standardized definition of 'injury' or 'injury prevention program' was provided, leading to varied interpretation by participants. Athletes with intellectual impairments were excluded, omitting a significant portion of the Para swimming population.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that standard injury prevention programs for able-bodied swimmers are effective or appropriate for Para swimmers without modification. The study found high injury rates even among those using programs, and qualitative data suggests unique biomechanical and functional factors specific to impairment that require individualized assessment rather than generic protocols.