Incidence and characteristics of acute and overuse injuries in elite powerlifters

Abstract

The aim of this study was the analysis of incidence and type of injury in German elite powerlifters. A total of n = 57 competitive athletes of the German powerlifting federation completed a retrospective survey regarding acute and overuse injuries. With 224 total injuries, a mean incidence of 1.51 per 1.000 h or 0.49 per year was calculated. Most injuries affected the lower back (20.5%), elbow (11.2%), pelvic region (10.3) and the shoulder (9.8%). Regarding the type of injury acute inflammation (25.9%), muscle strains/sprains (20.5%) and skin lesions (13%) dominated. The mean incidence significantly declined with increasing age and training experience of the athlete. Athletes using a bench press shirt and various regenerative methods like sauna or swimming also showed decreased injury rates. There was no significant correlation between body weight, height or gender and injury incidence. Compared to other sports, the incidence of injuries and overuse syndromes is still low in powerlifting. Nonetheless, appropriate strategies in training, equipment, prevention and regeneration should be employed to protect the athlete from injury.

Keywords

• powerlifting
• weightlifting
• bench press
• injury
• overuse injury
• strength training