Epidemiology of Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Swimming and Diving: 2014–2015 Through 2018–2019

Abstract

Context The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has sponsored men's swimming and diving since 1937. Background Routine examinations of men's swimming and diving injuries are important for identifying emerging injury-related patterns. Methods Exposure and injury data collected in the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program during the 2014–2015 through 2018–2019 academic years were analyzed. Injury counts, rates, and proportions were used to describe injury characteristics, and injury rate ratios were used to examine differences in injury rates. Results The overall injury rate was 1.56 per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) for swimmers and 1.52 per 1000 AEs for divers. Shoulder (27.0%) injuries accounted for the largest proportion of all swimming injuries, and most injuries were attributed to overuse mechanisms (42.6%). Shoulder (23.3%) and trunk (23.3%) injuries accounted for the largest proportion of all diving injuries, and most injuries resulted from surface contact (32.6%). Conclusions Findings were consistent with existing literature on swimming and diving. The need for continued surveillance, coupled with more robust participation by swimming and diving programs was also highlighted.