Sailor for life, Injuries for life? : a study about sailing related injuries among dinghy sailors in Sweden

Abstract:   Aim The purpose of this project has been to research injuries among elite sailors in single handed dinghies in Sweden. The intention was to find the most common injuries in relation to age groups, compare male and females and look into how common preventative training is.   Method The chosen methods for this project were quantitative and qualitative. Questionnaires were sent out by email to 120 sailors where 42 chose to participate. Swedish elite sailors in single handed dinghies were targeted in age 13 to >28. Two interviews were performed with one experienced coach and physiotherapist. Two question templates were prepared to capture their expertise in the area following a main theme. Interviews were completed over internet (Skype).   Results The researched showed that 76% have had one or more sailing related injuries in their sailing career. The most common injury is knee injury, followed by back injury which together calculated for over 50% of all injuries. The main type of injury for sailors is overuse injury that develop over time. There was a significant difference between male and female in injury frequency where males tend to injure themselves more often. 30% of males have injured themselves eight times or more. Both male and female showed knees as the most common injury. The majority of sailors, 75% of males and 78% of females, do regularly or sometimes perform specific training. Research showed that 80% of sailors warm up before sailing, either regularly or sometimes. The most strenuous manoeuvre identified was 'knees while hiking'.   Conclusions The majority of sailors, 76%, have had injuries in their sailing careers. Knees and back were the most pronounced injuries and can be categorised as overuse injuries that develop over time. There are indications of injuries starting in an early age and lack of training knowledge might be a factor. Females have greater discrepancy of injuries however males tend to injure themselves more often, although more males than females perform specific training to prevent or rehabilitate an injury. The majority of sailors, 80% of males and 60% of females believed their injuries could have been prevented by more knowledge and proper training.