Incidence and severity of injuries resulting from amateur boxing in Ireland.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence, pattern, and severity of injuries resulting from participation in amateur boxing.


METHODS
A prospective 5-month survey of injuries which occurred during competitive amateur boxing and training.


METHODS
Amateur boxing competitions held in Dublin between November 1992 and March 1993, and the six largest amateur boxing clubs in Dublin.


METHODS
All the competitors in the tournaments and the > 16 year old members of the boxing clubs.


METHODS
Participation in competitive amateur bouts and/or boxing training.


METHODS
Incidence, pattern, and severity of injuries sustained in competition and training.


RESULTS
The incidence of injuries in competition was 0.92 injuries per man-hour of play (or 0.7 injuries per boxer per year), while the incidence in training was 0.69 injuries per boxer per year. Cerebral injuries were reported only in competition, most of these being mild concussion. Hand, wrist and facial injuries were related to direct impact and occurred more frequently in competition than training, while injuries to other body parts were predominantly chronic and training-associated. Shoulder and knee injuries were the most debilitating injuries seen.


CONCLUSIONS
The yearly risk of injury resulting from participation in amateur boxing is relatively low when compared with other sports. Cerebral injuries, which occur almost exclusively in competition, are predominantly mild concussions.
Porter
M
M
Department of Sports Medicine, Australian Institute of Sport, Belconnen, Australia.
O'Brien
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001914:Boxing / Q000293:injuries*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors