Prevalence of lower extremity overuse injuries in competitive youth Wushu Taolu athletes

• Main Author: Tan, Kairui
• Other Authors: -
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Science::General
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/162636
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Background: Wushu (also known as Chinese Martial Arts) has been growing in popularity in recent years and is practiced by millions worldwide. While there have been studies which examine the prevalence of overuse injuries amongst athletes, majority of these studies have only been aimed at elite athletes or more popular sports. Wushu has yet to draw the desired research attention in this area. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of lower extremity overuse injuries in competitive youth Wushu Taolu athletes. Methods: 209 participants (133 male, 76 female) were recruited to take part in the study. Athletes and parents were briefed about the study and provided with written consent forms subsequently. Participants were then required to complete a questionnaire. They were categorized according to their gender and pubertal stages. Results: 91 (44.0%) of the athletes reported overuse injury. Post-adolescent athletes (92%) reported highest proportion of injuries sustained. Majority of the injuries were sustained in the front of the knee (29.70%) and the lateral side of the ankle (18.70%). Conclusion: This study showed that there was a moderately high prevalence of lower extremity overuse injuries in competitive youth Wushu Taolu athletes. Gender, age and training hours were factors that contributed directly to the increased risk of overuse injuries. It is important for coaches to increase awareness of the complex interaction between various risk factors to develop appropriate programs and ensure sustained participation of youth Wushu athletes.