title: Self reported injury patterns among competitive curlers in the United States: a preliminary investigation into the epidemiology of curling injuries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the injury patterns among competitive curlers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants at two curling championship events were asked to complete injury history questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  76 curlers (39%) participated; 79% of these reported curling related musculoskeletal pain, most commonly involving the knee (54%), back (33%), and shoulder (20%). Sweeping and delivering the stone were most likely to provoke symptoms. Time loss injuries were estimated to occur at a rate of 2 per 1000 athlete exposures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Curling appears to be a relatively safe winter sport. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings and to further define the risk factors for curling related injuries.
authors.affiliation: Marshfield Clinic, Department of Physical Medicine, 1000 North Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA. reeser.jonathan@marshfieldclinic.org
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reeser
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology