Abstract

Injury rates were recorded at the 1988 US Olympic Taekwondo Team Trials Prelims and Finals in which 48 males and 48 females participated. The injury rate for the male taekwondo athletes was 12.74/100 athlete-exposures and for the female athletes 9.01/100 athlete-exposures. The most frequently injured body parts were the foot and the head, while contusions were the predominant type of injury. Both the men and the women sustained concussions. Forty-one percent of the mens injuries were the result of receiving a blow from an unblocked attack. For the women, the most common injury situation (40) was while attacking with a kick. In terms of time-loss injuries, both the men and women incurred time-loss injuries at a rate of 15 of the reported injuries. The head injuries found in this study are discussed relative to the high impact velocities generated during taekwondo kicking. It is suggested to test protective equipment on attenuation rate and to possibly make rule changes to reduce the chance of cerebral injury. Verf.-Referat