Epidemiology of injuries in amateur boxing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Issue 12 (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alevras, Alexander J.; Fuller, Joel T.; Mitchell, Rebecca; Lystad, Reidar P.
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 25:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 995
• Page End: 1001
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Sports medicine -- Athletic injuries -- Incidence -- Boxing; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.09.165
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: To synthesise competition and training injury data in amateur boxing. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Pooled estimates of competition injury incidence rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (IIRAE ) and per 1000 min of exposure (IIRME ), and training injury incidence rates per 1000 h of exposure (IIRHE ) were obtained by fitting random-effects models. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, AUSPORT, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched from inception to 27 May 2022. Cohort studies with prospectively collected injury and exposure data from amateur boxing competition or training published in peer-reviewed journals were eligible for inclusion. Results: Seventeen studies were eligible for inclusion. The competition IIRAE and IIRME summary estimates were 54.7 (95 % CI 33.8–88.4) and 6.8 (95 % CI 4.2–10.9), respectively. The training IIRHE summary estimate was 1.3 (95 % CI 0.2–7.0). The most commonly injured body regions in the competition and training settings were the head and neck (median: 72 %; range: 46 % to 100 %) and upper limb (median: 49 %; range: 40 % to 53 %), respectively. The predominant types of injury were contusions (median: 35 %; range: 5 % to 100 %) and lacerations and abrasions (median: 20 %; range: 0 % to 69 %) in the competition setting, and sprains and strains (median: 60 %; range: 50 % to 81 %) in the training setting. Conclusions: Amateur boxing athletes sustain, on average, 1 injury every 2.5 h of competition and every 772 h of training. There is a need for identifying injury mechanisms and modifiable risk factors that can be targeted by preventive measures to reduce the burden of injury in amateur boxing.