Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1387764
Injuries in Competitive Boxing. A Prospective Study
Publication History
accepted after revision 14 July 2014
Publication Date:
06 November 2014 (online)
![](https://www.thieme-connect.de/media/sportsmed/201503/lookinside/thumbnails/10.1055-s-0034-1387764-1.jpg)
Abstract
Boxing remains a subject of controversy and is often classified as dangerous. But the discussion is based mostly on retrospective studies. This survey was conducted as a prospective study. From October 2012 to September 2013, 44 competitive boxers were asked to report their injuries once a month. The questionnaire collected general information (training, competition) and recorded the number of bouts fought, injuries and resulting lost days. A total of 192 injuries were recorded, 133 of which resulted in interruption of training or competition. Each boxer sustained 3 injuries per year on average. The injury rate was 12.8 injuries per 1 000 h of training. Boxers fighting more than 3 bouts per year sustain more injuries (p=0.0075). The injury rate does is not a function of age (age≤19 vs. > 19a, p=0.53). Injuries to the head and the upper limbs occur most frequently. The most common injuries are soft tissue lacerations and contusions. Head injuries with neurological symptoms rarely occur (4.2%). Boxing has a high injury rate that is comparable with other contact sports, but most injuries are minor. Injury frequency is not a function of whether the boxer competes in the junior or adult category. Athletes fighting many bouts per year have a greater risk of injury.
-
References
- 1 Andrade RA, Evans PL, Almeida AL, da Silva Jde J, Guedes AM, Guedes FR, Ranalli DN, Modesto A, Tinoco EM. Prevalence of dental trauma in Pan American games athletes. Dent Traumatol 2010; 26: 248-253
- 2 Bahr R, Reeser JC. Injuries among world-class professional beach volleyball players. The Federation Internationale de Volleyball beach volleyball injury study. Am J Sports Med 2003; 31: 119-125
- 3 Baird LC, Newman CB, Volk H, Svinth JR, Conklin J, Levy ML. Mortality resulting from head injury in professional boxing: case report. Neurosurgery 2010; 67: 519-520
- 4 Baltzer AW, Ghadamgahi PD, Granrath M, Possel HJ. American football injuries in Germany. First results from Bundesliga football. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 1997; 5: 46-49
- 5 Bianco M, Fabbricatore C, Sanna N, Fabiano C, Palmieri V, Zeppilli P. Elite athletes: is survival shortened in boxers?. Int J Sports Med 2007; 28: 697-702
- 6 Bianco M, Sanna N, Bucari S, Fabiano C, Palmieri V, Zeppilli P. Female boxing in Italy: 2002–2007 report. Br J Sports Med 2011; 45: 563-570
- 7 Bjorneboe J, Bahr R, Andersen TE. Risk of injury on third-generation artificial turf in Norwegian professional football. Br J Sports Med 2010; 44: 794-798
- 8 Bledsoe GH, Li G, Levy F. Injury risk in professional boxing. South Med J 2005; 98: 994-998
- 9 Corrales G, Curreri A. Eye trauma in boxing. Clin Sports Med 2009; 28: 591-607
- 10 Dragu A, Unglaub F, Radomirovic S, Schnurer S, Wagner W, Horch RE, Hell B. Standards and interdisciplinary treatment of boxing injuries of the head in professional boxing on the basis of an IBF World Championship Fight. Med Sci Monit 2010; 16: 149-152
- 11 Echegoyen S, Acuna E, Rodriguez C. Injuries in students of three different dance techniques. Med Probl Perform Art 2010; 25: 72-74
- 12 Emerich K, Nadolska-Gazda E. Dental trauma, prevention and knowledge concerning dental first-aid among Polish amateur boxers. J Sci Med Sport 2013; 16: 297-301
- 13 Enzenauer RW, Montrey JS, Enzenauer RJ, Mauldin WM. Boxing-related injuries in the US Army, 1980 through 1985. JAMA 1989; 261: 1463-1466
- 14 Fernandes R. Principles and practices of treating facial cuts during boxing matches. J Wound Care 2009; 18: 333-334
- 15 Forstl H, Haass C, Hemmer B, Meyer B, Halle M. Boxing-acute complications and late sequelae: from concussion to dementia. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010; 107: 835-839
- 16 Fuller CW, Ekstrand J, Junge A, Andersen TE, Bahr R, Dvorak J, Hagglund M, McCrory P, Meeuwisse WH. Consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection procedures in studies of football (soccer) injuries. Br J Sports Med 2006; 40: 193-201
- 17 Gabbett TJ, Godbolt RJ. Training injuries in professional rugby league. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 1948-1953
- 18 Graham MR, Myers T, Evans P, Davies B, Cooper SM, Bhattacharya K, Grace FM, Baker JS. Direct hits to the head during amateur boxing is associated with a rise in serum biomarkers for brain injury. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2011; 24: 119-125
- 19 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2014 update. Int J Sports Med 2013; 34: 1025-1028
- 20 Hart MG, Trivedi RA, Hutchinson PJ. Boxing sparring complicated by an acute subdural haematoma and brainstem haemorrhage. Br J Neurosurg 2012; 26: 776-778
- 21 Hawkes N. BMA criticises increased funding for boxing. BMJ 2012; 345: 8678
- 22 Jayarao M, Chin LS, Cantu RC. Boxing-related head injuries. Physician Sportsmed 2010; 38: 18-26
- 23 Jordan B. Boxing. In: Caine D, Caine C, Lindner K. eds. Epidemiology of sport injuries. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers; 1996: 113-123
- 24 Jordan BD, Campbell EA. Acute injuries among professional boxers in New-York State – a 2-year survey. Physician Sportsmed 1988; 16: 87-89
- 25 Jordan BD, Voy RO, Stone J. Amateur boxing injuries at the United-States olympic training-center. Physician Sportsmed 1990; 18: 81-83
- 26 Junge A, Engebretsen L, Mountjoy ML, Alonso JM, Renstrom PA, Aubry MJ, Dvorak J. Sports injuries during the Summer Olympic Games 2008. Am J Sports Med 2009; 37: 2165-2172
- 27 Kazmierczak PM, Strobl FF, Notohamiprodjo M. The hamatometacarpale-IV fracture-dislocation: a rare injury of amateur boxers. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2013; 185: 175-176
- 28 Killen NM, Gabbett TJ, Jenkins DG. Training loads and incidence of injury during the preseason in professional rugby league players. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 2079-2084
- 29 Lavorgna G, Russo A, Ambrosio A, Alterio F, Dell’Aquila A. Injuries of the nasal bone in boxing. Minerva Chir 1995; 50: 895-899
- 30 Lindemann WB. Boxing-acute complications and late sequelae: from concussion to dementia: chronic damage has been underestimated. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108: 145-146
- 31 Loosemore M, Knowles CH, Whyte GP. Amateur boxing and risk of chronic traumatic brain injury: systematic review of observational studies. Br J Sports Med 2008; 42: 564-567
- 32 Noble C. Hand injuries in boxing. Am J Sports Med 1987; 15: 342-346
- 33 Place HM, Ecklund JM, Enzenauer RJ. Cervical spine injury in a boxer: should mandatory screening be instituted?. J Spinal Disord 1996; 9: 64-67
- 34 Plant JR, Butt JC. Laceration of vertebral artery. An historic boxing death. Am J Forens Med Pathol 1993; 14: 61-64
- 35 Polousky JD, Harms S. Subscapularis tendon injuries in adolescents: a report of 2 cases. J Pediatr Orthop 2011; 31: 57-59
- 36 Porter M, O’Brien M. Incidence and severity of injuries resulting from amateur boxing in Ireland. Clin J Sport Med 1996; 6: 97-101
- 37 Potter MR, Snyder AJ, Smith GA. Boxing injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments, 1990–2008. Am J Prev Med 2011; 40: 462-467
- 38 Prange H. Boxing-acute complications and late sequelae: from concussion to dementia: When does long term damage develop?. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108: 145
- 39 Purcell LK, Leblanc CM. Boxing participation by children and adolescents: a joint statement with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Paediatr Child Health 2012; 17: 39-40
- 40 Schwartz MB. Medical safety in boxing: administrative, ethical, legislative, and legal considerations. Clin Sports Med 2009; 28: 505-514
- 41 Scott I. Youth boxing ban in some Australian jurisdictions. Inj Prev 1999; 5: 77
- 42 Seil R, Rupp S, Tempelhof S, Kohn D. Injuries during handball. A comparative, retrospective study between regional and upper league teams. Sportverletz Sportschaden 1997; 11: 58-62
- 43 Siewe J, Rudat J, Rollinghoff M, Schlegel UJ, Eysel P, Michael JW. Injuries and overuse syndromes in powerlifting. Int J Sports Med 2011; 32: 703-711
- 44 Sim E. Dislocation of the thumb saddle joint as a rare sports injury. Sportverletz Sportschaden 1990; 4: 92-95
- 45 Timm KE, Wallach JM, Stone JA, Ryan EJ. Fifteen years of amateur boxing injuries/illnesses at the United States olympic training center. J Athl Train 1993; 28: 330-334
- 46 Timsit S, Rougeau T, Grevent D, Cheron G. Boxing-related cranial injury in children: a case report. Arch Pediatr 2012; 19: 1187-1190
- 47 van Mechelen W, Hlobil H, Kemper HC. Incidence, severity, aetiology and prevention of sports injuries. A review of concepts. Sports Med 1992; 14: 82-99
- 48 Welch MJ, Sitler M, Kroeten H. Boxing Injuries from an instructional program. Physician Sportsmed 1986; 14: 81-84
- 49 Wilson F, Gissane C, Gormley J, Simms C. A 12-month prospective cohort study of injury in international rowers. Br J Sports Med 2010; 44: 207-214
- 50 Wyrsch RB, Spindler KP, Stricker PR. Scapular fracture in a professional boxer. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 1995; 4: 395-398
- 51 Zazryn T, Cameron P, McCrory P. A prospective cohort study of injury in amateur and professional boxing. Br J Sports Med 2006; 40: 670-674
- 52 Zazryn TR, Finch CF, McCrory P. A 16 year study of injuries to professional boxers in the state of Victoria, Australia. Br J Sports Med 2003; 37: 321-324
- 53 Zazryn TR, McCrory PR, Cameron PA. Injury rates and risk factors in competitive professional boxing. Clin J Sport Med 2009; 19: 20-25