Injury Characteristics in Air Rifle Shooters: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES Air rifle shooting is a static, noncontact sport that requires a high level of shooting precision. However, research on injuries caused by air rifle shooting, particularly in Japan, remains limited. Moreover, inconsistencies in injury definitions and research methodologies across previous studies have hindered comparisons; thus, the injury characteristics among shooting athletes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of air rifle shooting injuries.METHODS This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a 5-month period from February to July 2024. Adult athletes who were registered members of the Japan Shooting Association were surveyed using Google Forms. Injury history over the previous 12 months was assessed using four key questions addressing the consequences of injuries on sports participation, training volume, sports performance, and symptoms experienced. Information on the average weekly shooting training volume, including weekly training frequency and average training time, was also collected.RESULTS Among the 71 participants, 24 (34%) reported experiencing at least one injury within the past year; a total of 52 injuries were reported. Most injuries reported (51; 98.1%) were classified as overuse injuries, and most overuse injuries developed gradually without a single identifiable traumatic event (50; 98.1%). The most frequently reported site of injury involved the lumbar spine (13; 25.0%), followed by the knee (8; 15.4%), pelvis/glute (6; 11.5%), and wrist/hand (6; 11.5%).CONCLUSIONS A considerable proportion of air rifle shooting athletes experience injuries, particularly in the lumbar spine. However, although lumbar spine injuries were common, further prospective studies are needed to clarify the relative contributions of biomechanical and training-related factors. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms underlying the development of effective injury prevention strategies for air rifle shooting athletes.