Epidemiology of fracture and care in male collegiate Taekwondo athletes by weight class

The purpose of this study was to examine the occurrence of fracture injuries and post-fracture management practices by weight class. A total of 127 male collegiate Taekwondo athletes (64 lightweight athletes, 63 heavyweight athletes) participated in this study. The athletes were classified into lightweight and heavyweight based on their respective competition weight divisions. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Athletes had experienced fracture to 54.3%. Athletes were more likely to experience fractures during training and defensive movements. Of the fractures reported, 31.9% necessitated surgical intervention. Although 65.1% of the athletes were primarily concerned about the possibility of re-injury, only 36.2% received specialized rehabilitation. The heavyweight athletes had a higher prevalence (OR=2.40, 95% CI=1.17–4.90) than the lightweight athletes. The heavyweight athletes had a higher prevalence of fractures during the competition (OR=4.83, 95% CI=1.54–15.17), in offensive situations (OR=4.67, 95% CI=1.38–15.99), and in the lower limbs (OR=3.84, 95% CI=1.12–13.14) than the lightweight athletes. The current evidence that fractures are common in Taekwondo athletes and that fracture patterns may differ between heavyweight and lightweight athletes highlights the need for tailored prevention strategies based on weight class.