title: Musculoskeletal injuries in elite able-bodied and wheelchair foil fencers--a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in elite able-bodied and wheelchair foil fencers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3-year prospective cohort study of sport injuries during 2006-2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of elite able-bodied fencers (AFs) and wheelchair fencers (WFs) from the Hong Kong National Squad.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 14 wheelchair and 10 able-bodied elite fencers completed the 3-year study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Monthly interviews with fencers to collect data related to their injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The incidence rate and relative risk of injury were analyzed among able-bodied and WFs with different trunk control ability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wheelchair fencers had higher overall injury incidence rate (3.9/1000 hours) than AFs (2.4/1000 hours). Wheelchair fencers with poor trunk control were more vulnerable to injuries (4.9/1000 hours) than those with good trunk control (3.0/1000 hours). Upper extremity injuries were predominant in WFs (73.8%), with elbow (32.6%) and shoulder strain (15.8%) being the most common injuries. Lower extremity injuries were predominant in AFs (69.4%), with muscle strain over knee and thigh region (22.6%), ankle sprain (14.5%), and knee sprain (11.3%) being the leading injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this pilot study highlighted the distinct injury incidence between the 2 different fencer groups. Larg-scale epidemiologic and biomechanical studies are warranted to improve the understanding of fencing injuries to develop specific injury prevention/rehabilitation programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong. manchung100@yahoo.com.hk
authors.forename: Wai Man
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Arnold Yu Lok
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Ida Fong
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Philip Tat Fai
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Dinishi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Daswani
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D014910:Wheelchairs; D055815:Young Adult