Fadyah Khoirunnisa, Suryo Saputra Perdana

The Relationship of Sports to the Incidence of Injuries in Para Sports Athletes: A Systematic Review

Introduction

The relationship of sports to the incidence of injuries in para sports athletes: a systematic review. Systematic review explores para-sports injury incidence in athletes. Details acute/chronic injuries, risk factors, and tailored prevention strategies for enhanced safety & performance.

Abstract

Background: Para-sport, as a branch of sports for individuals with disabilities, has grown significantly as a platform for social inclusion and athletic achievement. However, sports activities inherently carry injury risks, which are amplified in para-sport due to physical limitations and adaptive equipment use. Methods: This study systematically reviewed injury patterns across various para-sport disciplines in multi-event competitions. Using the PRISMA framework, we analyzed 13 studies published in the last decade. Results: Results indicate that contact sports such as wheelchair basketball and rugby reported the highest injury prevalence, primarily acute injuries like shoulder dislocations and contusions. Non-contact sports such as para-swimming and para-throwing showed chronic injuries like tendinopathies due to repetitive movements. Key risk factors included biomechanical imbalances, intense training, and the use of adaptive devices. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for tailored injury prevention strategies, including biomechanical evaluation, rehabilitation programs, and ergonomic sports equipment design, to ensure athlete safety and enhance performance sustainability in para-sports.

Review

This systematic review, "The Relationship of Sports to the Incidence of Injuries in Para Sports Athletes," addresses a critical and increasingly relevant topic within sports science and public health. As para-sport continues its global expansion and gains greater recognition, understanding and mitigating injury risks among these athletes becomes paramount. The authors employed a rigorous PRISMA-guided methodology to synthesize findings from 13 studies published over the last decade, focusing on injury patterns across various para-sport disciplines. This approach provides a timely and valuable consolidation of existing evidence in an area where comprehensive data can be challenging to collate. The review's findings offer clear and insightful differentiations regarding injury types and prevalence based on sport categories. Notably, the study identifies that contact para-sports, such as wheelchair basketball and rugby, are predominantly associated with acute injuries like shoulder dislocations and contusions. Conversely, non-contact disciplines, exemplified by para-swimming and para-throwing, report a higher incidence of chronic conditions such as tendinopathies, stemming from repetitive movements. Crucially, the authors pinpoint key overarching risk factors, including biomechanical imbalances, the demands of intense training regimens, and the inherent challenges posed by adaptive equipment. This categorization of injury profiles provides a robust framework for understanding the unique physiological stressors faced by para-athletes. The conclusions drawn from this systematic review are highly pertinent and actionable, strongly advocating for the development of tailored injury prevention strategies. The recommendations—encompassing biomechanical evaluations, sport-specific rehabilitation programs, and ergonomically designed adaptive sports equipment—are well-justified by the presented results and directly address the identified risk factors. This study makes a significant contribution to the field by not only highlighting the distinct injury landscapes across para-sports but also by providing a foundational evidence base for practitioners, coaches, and policymakers to enhance athlete safety and ensure the long-term sustainability of performance in this vital and growing sector of sports.

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