Injuries in Weightlifting and Powerlifting
A look at risk factors associated with common injuries.
This systematic review examines the latest research on Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting injuries, providing valuable insights for athletes, coaches, and therapists.
PMID: 39650568
The study provides an updated synthesis of literature concerning the incidence, prevalence, anatomical injury localisation, and risk factors associated with injuries in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting.
Key Points
Aim: To systematically review recent literature on the incidence, prevalence, injury location, and risk factors in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting.
Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science (searched through February 2024).
Study Selection: Included studies published between January 2015 and February 2024, along with reports from a previous systematic review.
Quality Assessment: The "Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-sectional Studies."
Methods
Search Strategy: Comprehensive search using terms related to weightlifting, powerlifting, injury, and risk factors.
Study Selection: Two independent reviewers screened records for relevance.
Data Extraction: Data on injury incidence, prevalence, type, severity, location, and risk factors were extracted.
Quality Assessment: The quality of the included studies was assessed.
Data Synthesis: Data were synthesised and grouped by reports detailing the injury prevalence and/or incidence.
Results
Weightlifting:
Period prevalence of injuries during competitions: 10.7%–68%.
Incidence: 2.4–3.3 injuries/1000 hours of training.
Common injury sites: knee, lower back, shoulder, and hands/fingers.
Powerlifting:
Point prevalence: 70% in one report.
Incidence: 1.0–4.4 injuries/1000 hours of training.
Common injury sites: lower back/pelvis, shoulder, and elbow/upper arm.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: High prevalence (50% in females, 9.3% in males) in both sports.
Practical Takeaways
Be Aware of Common Injury Sites: Weightlifters should pay special attention to their knees and hands/fingers, while powerlifters should focus on the lower back/pelvis and elbows/upper arms.
Consider Injury Definition: Understand that injury prevalence can seem high depending on whether it includes any pain that impairs training.
Address Pelvic Floor Health: Men and women who lift should consider pelvic floor exercises to prevent dysfunction, especially women.
Training Load Management: The training load should be managed carefully to prevent injuries, considering the acute and chronic stress on different body regions.
Related
Key Takeaways
Injury rates are relatively low in both weightlifting and powerlifting, but injury prevalence can be high depending on the definition used.
Weightlifting has a higher proportion of injuries to the knees and hands/fingers, while powerlifting has a higher proportion of injuries to the elbow/upper arm.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is highly prevalent in both sports, particularly among female lifters.
The study highlights the need for more consistent study designs in sports injury epidemiology.
Shoulder and lower back injuries are common to both sports, which points to load management being a key consideration.
Reference
Tung MJ, Lantz GA, Lopes AD, Berglund L. Injuries in weightlifting and powerlifting: an updated systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2024 Dec 4;10(4):e001884. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001884. PMID: 39650568; PMCID: PMC11624822.