Injury Patterns in Fencing Athletes - A Retrospective Review.
Emily R Cross, Sloane M Lynch, Patricia E Miller and 2 others
PMID 39229447WHAT IT FOUND
73% of fencing injuries seen in clinics were in the lower extremity, and 49% of those involved the knee; upper limb injuries were almost always on the dominant side when documented. 80% were treated with physical therapy; when recorded, 51% had no time off sport.
Key findings
0173% of injuries were in the lower extremity, and 49% of lower extremity injuries involved the knee.
02In the 202 injuries where hand dominance and injury side were documented, 96% of upper extremity injuries were on the dominant side.
0380% of injuries were treated with physical therapy, and among the 140 injuries with recorded time to return, 51% had no time loss.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a retrospective chart review, so findings were limited to information recorded in medical records. Hand dominance was documented for only 102 of 186 patients, and injury side and hand dominance were available for only 202 injuries. Time to return to sport was recorded for only 140 of 313 injuries, so the return-to-sport findings may not represent all injuries. Only injuries that led to evaluation in sports medicine or orthopedic clinics were included, so minor injuries managed by athletic trainers or primary care providers, and severe injuries presenting to emergency departments, were not represented. The study was conducted at the investigators' institution, so the injury patterns may not reflect all fencers.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding declaration is included in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read physical therapy use and no recorded time loss as proof that physical therapy made fencers recover faster. This was a retrospective chart review, and time loss was available for only 140 of 313 injuries.