A prospective cohort study of injury in amateur and professional boxing

Tsharni Zazryn ¹, Peter Cameron ^1* and Paul McCrory ²

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia
² Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: peter.cameron{at}med.monash.edu.au.

Accepted 6 June 2006

Abstract

Background: There is concern over the potential for a high incidence of injury within the sport of boxing. This is despite a lack of prospective data evaluating the risk for modern-day participants. Updated, reliable data with a focus on potential exposure to injury for both amateur and especially professional boxers is required.

Aim: To determine the epidemiology of injury and exposure level of participants of amateur and professional boxing in Victoria, Australia.

Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study with one-year follow-up, undertaken over the period 2004-2005. Thirty-three amateur and fourteen professional active boxers registered with either Boxing Victoria Inc., (amateurs), or with the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board of Victoria (professionals) volunteered to participate. Exposure at training and competition was measured and any injuries sustained during this participation were recorded.

Results: Twenty-one injuries were sustained by the cohort during the follow-up period. The majority of these were to the head region (71.4%; 95%CI: -3.7, 89.4), with concussion being the most common injury nature (33.3%). An overall injury rate of 2.0 injuries per 1000 hours of boxing participation was calculated.

Conclusion: The high levels of exposure experienced by the boxers (as a result of considerable training time) indicated that boxing has acute injury rates comparable, and often lower, than those found in studies of other contact and non-contact sports. Further, acute injuries occurring during training appear less common and less severe than those occurring in bouts.

Key Words: boxing, exposure, injury rate

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