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TAEKWONDO TECHNIQUES AND COMPETITION CHARACTERISTICS INVOLVED IN
TIME-LOSS INJURIES
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Konstantinos
Beis1, Willy Pieter2
and George Abatzides1 |
1Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2Science University
of Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
| Received |
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15 January 2007 |
| Accepted |
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18
June 2007 |
| Published |
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01
October 2007 |
©
Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2007)
6(CSSI-2), 45 - 51
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| ABSTRACT |
| The purpose of this study was to assess time-loss injuries in
young and adult taekwondo athletes. Participants were 2739 children
(11-13 years), Junior (14-17 years) and adult males and females (18
years and older) competing in the national Greek championships. Injury
data were collected by project staff with all diagnoses made by the
tournament physician. Odds ratios were computed as well as 95% confidence
intervals around the injury rates. The female Juniors had a higher
time-loss injury rate (Fisher's Exact Test p = 0.033) than their adult
counterparts. However, they were not at a higher risk of incurring
a time-loss injury: OR = 0.143, 95% CI: 0.018-1.124. Collapsed over
age, the females as a group recorded more time-loss injuries [11.36/1,000
A-E (95% CI: 6.25-16.47) versus 7.40/1,000 A-E (95% CI: 4.44-10.36)],
but this was not significant (OR = 0.703, 95% CI: 0.383-1.293). In
the Juniors, the boys only incurred time-loss injuries to the head
and neck. There was no difference in the Junior girls in the distribution
of time-loss injuries across body region, although they were at higher
risk of sustaining an injury to the head and neck (OR = 1.510, 95%
CI: 0.422-5.402) but this was not statistically significant. Although
there were no statistical differences among age groups within gender,
the Junior boys and girls (11-13 years) sustained more cerebral concussions.
The Junior boys were at a higher risk of incurring a cerebral concussion
than the boys (OR = 7.871, 95% CI: 0.917-67.583, Fisher's Exact Test
p = 0.036). In the males, there was no difference between the men
and Junior boys in injury rate for swing kicks compared to other techniques
(OR = 2.000, 95% CI = 0.397-28.416). There also was no difference
between the men and boys (OR = 4.800, 95% CI: 0.141-58.013). To help
reduce the incidence of time-loss injuries in taekwondo, especially
cerebral concussions, it is suggested for coaches to emphasize blocking
skills. Educating referees, coaches and athletes plays an important
role in helping to reduce taekwondo time-loss injuries.
KEY
WORDS: Martial arts, taekwondo, time-loss, Greek, injuries.
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