Common Injuries in New Olympic Sports
By
“
The Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games will include 6 new sports.
- Baseball
- Softball
- Skateboarding
- Surfing
- Sport Climbing
- Karate
There are common injuries that can occur with each of these events.
![]()
Tokyo Olympic Games
New Sports in the 2021 Olympics
This is an exciting year in the Olympics! Baseball and Softball are returning to the Games for the first time since 2008.
Surfing and Skateboarding are debuting this year. Sport Climbing and Karate made the cut as well.
These 6 sports place specific demands on the body. This can expose athletes to the risk of common injuries from the 6 new Olympic sports.
Common Injuries in New Olympic Sports
1.Baseball Injuries
Baseball Injuries
The most common injuries in baseball are in the shoulder and elbow. Overhand throwing places unique stresses on the soft tissues in the shoulder. Pitchers have a 34% higher chance of an injury than other fielding positions.
51% of baseball injuries are in the shoulder or arm. About 31% of injuries are lower extremity injuries. 11 to 12% are core or spine injures. To learn more, read this Study.
Common Baseball Injuries include:
- Labral Tears
- SLAP Tears
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Muscle Strains
- UCL Tears (Tommy John’s Tear)
2. Softball Injuries
Softball Injuries
Softball has unique injuries compared to baseball. Up to 23% of Softball injuries are from base sliding.
Lower back injuries can occur due to poor throwing mechanics. Fastpitch underhand mechanics can place increased extension force on the joints of the lower back. To learn more, read this study from the Journal of Athletic Training.
Common Injuries from softball (and baseball) include:
- Ankle sprains
- Knee sprains
- Base Sliding Injuries
- Shoulder overuse injuries
- Lower Back Injuries
3. Skateboarding Injuries
Skateboarding injuries
Skateboarding is an extreme sport that is really popular. It involves complicated tricks that require timing and skill. Any miscalculation can lead to a fall. Some falls occur from high levels.
Many skateboarding injuries can be avoided with proper safety equipment. But there is still a risk.
Injuries from Skateboarding can be ranked from most likely to least likely:
- Upper Extremity injuries (up to 63% of all injuries)
- Lower extremity Injuries (up to 26% of all injuries)
- Head Trauma or Concussion (up to 17% of all injuries)
- Abdominal or Thorax Injuries (up to 3% of all injuries)
To read the full study on Skateboarding injuries, click HERE.
4. Surfing Injuries
Surfing injuries
Surfing has an advantage in that landing in water can be more forgiving than on land. But, surfing can provide unpredictable conditions as well. In the Olympics, the days of the surfing competition will be chosen on the morning of the event depending on the waves at Shidashita Beach in Japan.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, surfing Injuries are 2x more likely with large, overhead waves vs. smaller waves. Injuries are also about 2x more likely when surfing over a reef or rocky floor vs. a soft, sandy surface.
Common Surfing Injuries include:
- Lacerations
- Wrist and ankle sprains
- Neck injuries
- Shoulder Dislocation
5. Sport Climbing Injuries
Bouldering or sport climbing injuries
Sport climbing or bouldering involves free climbing on lower rocks with varied surfaces. It requires tremendous upper body strength and control. The biggest injury risk is from a fall. However, in the 2021 Olympics, climbers will wear safety harnesses.
Even with safety ropes, common climbing injuries include:
- Blisters on hands
- Tendon strains
- Shoulder strains
Other common sport climbing injuries may include flexor tendon pulley injuries in the hand. When gripping small ledges with the tips of the fingers, small muscles of the hand called Lumbricals must stabilize the fingers. The tips of the fingers are also controlled by a larger muscle that starts in the forearm called the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP). The Lumbricals and FDP can become strained when there is a lot of stress on the tips of the fingers with climbing.
6. Karate Injuries
Karate
Karate is a form of martial arts that involves striking and kicking. This exposes athletes to the risk of injuries as the striker and as the opponent being struck. Karate Injuries are very common. A retrospective study done in France showed that up to 44% of those who practice karate are injured every year. Karate injuries are usually minor.
Common injuries with Karate Include:
- Concussions
- Facial Lacerations
- Ear or Nose Injuries
- Contusions
- Strains and Sprains
While there is the risk of common Injuries in new Olympic sports, conditioned athletes have lower chances of injury than novice weekend warriors in most cases. Advanced strength and conditioning help athletes to adapt and respond in ways that help them avoid injuries. But, there is still a risk.
Book an Appointment with The Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute Today!
JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.
You can still call 904-JOI-2000 to make new patient JOI Physician Appointments if that is your preference.
To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.
”