What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to compare injury incidence and severity between Olympic and Beach Wrestling during major competitions.

February 28, 2026Injury Epidemiology1 citationsOpen Access

From mat to sand: a comparative injury surveillance study of Olympic and Beach Wrestling at the 2025 World championships

SMSzabolcs MolnárUniversity of Debrecen DMDorsaf MetahniWorld Anti-Doping Agency SFSaam FalahatiWorld Anti-Doping Agency

Key Points

The study aims to compare injury incidence and severity between Olympic and Beach Wrestling during major competitions.
Prospective comparative epidemiological design during 2025 World Championships
Injuries requiring medical assessment were documented using standardized forms
Injury incidence expressed per 1,000 athlete-exposures
Between-group comparisons used chi-square and independent-samples t-tests
53 competition-related injuries were recorded: 29 in Beach Wrestling and 24 in Olympic Wrestling
Beach Wrestling had a higher injury incidence (20.0 vs. 13.3 per 1,000 AEs)
All Beach Wrestling injuries were mild or moderate, while Olympic Wrestling had a higher proportion of moderate-to-severe injuries (75% vs. 14%)
Commonly affected regions included head and face for both formats, with higher knee and shoulder injuries in Olympic Wrestling

Abstract

Abstract Background Wrestling is associated with a substantial risk of injury; however, comparative injury epidemiology between Olympic Wrestling (OW) and Beach Wrestling (BW) remains limited, constraining evidence-informed injury-prevention strategies across formats. Methods A prospective comparative epidemiological study was conducted during the 2025 Senior Olympic Wrestling World Championships and the 2025 Beach Wrestling World Series. Only competition-related bout injuries requiring on-site medical assessment or treatment were recorded. Injuries were documented using the United World Wrestling (UWW) standardized injury report form and expressed as incidence rates per 1,000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Injuries were classified by severity, anatomical region, and wrestling format. Between-group comparisons were performed using chi-square tests and independent-samples t-tests ( p < 0.05). Results A total of 53 competition-related injuries were recorded: 29 in BW (20.0 injuries per 1,000 AEs) and 24 in OW (13.3 injuries per 1,000 AEs). Although BW demonstrated a higher overall injury incidence, all BW injuries were classified as mild or moderate, with no severe or catastrophic cases. In contrast, OW demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of moderate-to-severe injuries compared with BW (75% vs. 14%; χ² = 14.73, p < 0.001). The head and face were the most commonly affected regions in both formats (38% in BW; 42% in OW). Secondary injury patterns differed, with OW injuries more frequently involving the knee (25%) and shoulder (17%), whereas BW injuries were more evenly distributed across the upper extremities (34.6%). No catastrophic injuries occurred in either format. Conclusions Beach Wrestling demonstrated a more favourable injury-severity profile despite a higher overall injury incidence, whereas Olympic Wrestling was associated with a greater proportion of clinically significant injuries. These findings highlight important format-specific differences in injury patterns and support the need for targeted injury-prevention strategies and continued evaluation of competition rules and environments.

KI fragen

Bookmark

View Full Paper