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1401 - A Comparative Analysis of Injuries in Wheelchair and Able-Bodied Fencers from Three Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Friday, February 28, 2025

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST

Presenting Author(s)

DS

Daniel Shinchuk, n/a

Person of Interest
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Newton, Massachusetts, United States

Co-Author(s)

JS

Jason Schon, MD

Fellow
Harvard Medical School / Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
DC

David M. Crandell, MD

Assistant Professor
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School Dept of PM&R
Needham, Massachusetts, United States

Objectives: Wheelchair fencing has been a part of the Paralympic Games since 1960; however, epidemiological data on the rate and etiology of injuries among wheelchair fencers remains limited. Since the biomechanics of wheelchair fencing differ significantly from those of able-bodied fencing, conclusions cannot be directly drawn from able-bodied data. The purpose of this study was to compare injury rates between wheelchair and able-bodied fencers in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Paralympic and Olympic Games, and to compare these with other sports.

Design: We identified and extracted data from six studies reporting injury incidence during the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We compared injury rates between wheelchair and able-bodied fencers, as well as with those of other sports in the same games.

Results: In the 2012 Paralympics, 24 injuries occurred among 95 fencers (25.3% incidence rate). At the 2016 Paralympics, 15 injuries occurred among 72 fencers (20.8%). During the 2020 Paralympics, 6 injuries occurred among 96 fencers (6.3%). For able-bodied fencers, during the 2012 Olympics, there were 23 injuries among 246 athletes (9.3%). At the 2016 Olympics, 17 injuries occured among 204 athletes (8.3%). During the 2020 Olympics, 22 injuries occurred among 225 athletes (9.8%). Injury rates in able-bodied fencing remained stable when compared to other sports, ranking 20/36 in 2012, 19/39 in 2016, and 25/46 in 2020. In contrast, wheelchair fencing varied significantly, ranking 4/20 in 2012, 1/22 in 2016, and 16/22 in 2020.

Conclusions: Injury rates in able-bodied fencing remained stable, ranking consistently mid-to-lower tier among sports across three Olympic Games. In contrast, injury rates in wheelchair fencing fluctuated significantly, with wheelchair fencing ranking as the sport with the highest injury rate in the 2016 Paralympics. This study indicates the need for tailored safety strategies and continuous evaluation of sport specific risk factors to better protect athletes with disabilities.