Study characteristics and results of assessed articles
| Study | Aim | Study type | Population (quantity, sex, experience) | Severity of injury | Injury type | Injury incidence/prevalence | Localisation of injury | Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic weightlifting Kulund et al23 | Describe overuse problems and injuries in weightlifting. | Retrospective study. | 80 weightlifters, 405 cumulative years of experience | Duration of impairment No impairment 33% 1 day–2 weeks 30% 2 months–2 years 34% >2 years 2% Chronic, recurrent 3% | NA | 111 injuries reported | Shoulder 26% Knee 26% Wrist 20% Elbow 11% Back 8% Thigh 5% Hand 5% Neck 3% Haemorrhoids 3% Hip region 3% Calf 2% Ankle 2% Hernias 1% Foot 0% | NA |
| Olympic weightlifting Calhoon and Fry17 | To determine injury types, natures, anatomical locations, recommended amount of time missed, and injury rates during weightlifting training. | Retrospective study. Data retrieved from injury report forms. | 853 reported injuries from male weightlifting athletes at US Olympic Training Center | Absence <1 day 90.5% <1 week 8.6% <3 weeks 0.4% >3 weeks 0.5% | Acute injuries 59.6% Chronic 30.4% Other types 10% | Incidence 3.3/1000 hours training | Low back 23.1% Knee 19.1% Shoulder 17.7% Hand 10% Neck 5.4% | NA |
| Olympic weightlifting Junge et al10 | To analyse the frequency, characteristics, and causes of injuries incurred during the Summer Olympic Games 2008. | Prospective study. Data retrieved from injury report forms. | 255 weightlifters | NA | NA | Incidence 43 injuries (16.9% of the competitors) | NA | NA |
| Olympic weightlifting Jonasson et al19 | To investigate the prevalence of pain in the spine and joints in athletes at national top level who were active in five different sports involving different degrees of load. | Retrospective study. Data collected through a questionnaire. | 21 male weightlifters | NA | NA | Prevalence (pain during the year) Low back 59% Neck 52% Shoulder 50% Thoracic spine 44% Elbow 35% Hip 31% Ankle 27% Knee 25% Wrist 25% | Low back 35–59%* Neck 41–52%* Shoulder 50%* Thoracic spine 25–44%* Elbow 35–35%* Hip 18–31%* Ankle 18–27%* Knee 18–25%* Wrist 19–25%* | NA |
| Olympic weightlifting Engebretsen et al18 | The aim of the present paper is to analyse the injuries and illnesses that occurred in London, with the long-term aim to enable the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IF) to improve their work on protection of their athletes' health. | Prospective study. Data retrieved from injury report forms. | 252 weightlifters (149 men, 103 women) | Absence ≥1 day 19 injuries (7.5% of the competitors) ≥7 days 11 injuries (4.4% of the competitors) | Overuse injuries 34% | Incidence 44 injuries (17.5% of the competitors) | NA | NA |
| Powerlifting Brown and Kimball16 | To construct a profile of the medical history of adolescent powerlifters in order to comprehend more fully the potential for injury in this sport. | Retrospective study. Data collected through a questionnaire. | 71 men 17.1 months of experience | Absence On average 11.5 days missed per injury | Muscle pull 61.2% Tendonitis 12.2% Crams 10.2% Sprains 4.1% Abrasions 4.1% Nerve injury 3.1% Fractures 2% Dislocations 1% Others 2% | Incidence 2.9 injuries per 1000 hours training | Low back 50% Knee 8.2% Chest 7.1% Shoulder 6.1% Elbow 6.1% Hand 4.1% Thoracic back 4.1% Groin 4.1% Abdomen 3.1% Leg 3.1% Ankle 2% Arm 1% Forearm 1% | 4.1 times/week ≈ 99.2 min/session |
| Powerlifting Keogh et al20 | To examine how 4 intrinsic factors would influence the rate, body region, onset, and severity of power lifting injury as well as the exercises affected, causative exercises, and injury treatment options. | Retrospective study. Data collected through a questionnaire. | 101 powerlifters 82 men 19 women At least 1 years of experience of powerlifting | Mild 39% moderate 39% great 22% | Acute 59,3% Chronic 40,7% | Incidence 1.2±1.1 injury/lifter/year 4.4±4.8/1000 hours of training | Shoulder 36,1% Low back 23,7% Elbow 11% Knee 9,3% Thigh 5,9% Chest 3,4% Arm 2,5% Thoracic back 1,7% Hip/buttocks 1,7% Others 4,2% | 6.1±2.4 hours/week |
| Powerlifting Siewe et al22 | To identify problem zones during workouts, rates of injury, as well as interacting factors, to offer advice to both athletes and sports medicine practitioners for injury prevention and accelerated rehabilitation in the sport of powerlifting. | Retrospective study. Data collected through a questionnaire. | 245 powerlifters 219 men 26 women At national and international level. 11 years of median experience | NA | Most common shoulder injury: Unspecified pain 22.5% Inflammation 19.6% | Incidence 0.3 injuries/lifter/year. 1 injury/1000 hours of training. | Shoulder 53.1%** Low back 40.8%** Knee 39.2%** Elbow 29.8%** Cervical back 24.5%** Hand/wrist 22.9%** Thoracic back/chest 18%** Ankle and foot 14.3%** Hip 9%** | 3–7 times/week 119.1±39.7 min/session |
| Olympic weightlifting and Powerlifting Raske and Norlin21 | The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and prevalence of injuries among elite weight lifters and power lifters, with a special focus on shoulder injuries and possible injury-provoking exercises. | Prospective and retrospective study. Data collected through a questionnaire for current injuries and injuries during the past 2 years. | Weightlifters: 50 men 5 women Powerlifters: 50 men 5 women The highest ranked lifters in Sweden. | 93% of shoulder injuries 85% of low back injuries 80% of knee injuries lasted >4 weeks | 20% acute muscle injuries 25% overuse tendon injuries | Incidence Weightlifters 2.4/1000 hours training Powerlifters 2.7/1000 hours training | Weightlifters*** Shoulder 0.31 and 0.34 Low back 0.45 and 0.44 Knee 0.43 and 0.49 Powerlifters*** Shoulder 0.57 and 0.71 Low back 0.43 and 0.41 Knee 0.24 and 0.33 | 1995: 520 hours/year2000:410 hours/year |