مهسا صادقی

Background: Taekwondo is a traditional Iranian martial art currently practiced in over 206 countries around the world. Aim: The present study aims to provide fundamental information on injuries in Iranian elite Taekwondo athletes. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 Iran Taekwondo national team athletes (means±standard deviations: Age: 28.8±10.7 years, Height: 175.7±9.2 cm, Weight: 69±14.7 kg) participated in this retrospective study. The data was collected based on the injury surveillance system during 2021. The questionnaire included personal information and Taekwondo-related injuries information. Data was illustrated using descriptive methods and was analyzed using the Chi-Square test ( P <0.05). Results: The overall injury occurred during training was more than competition ( P <0.05). The occurrence of acute injury was higher than chronic ( P <0.05), and the most prevalent types of injuries were strain, rupture, and muscle spasm. The number of injuries that occurred in the lower extremity was higher than in other parts ( P <0.05), and the knee was the most vulnerable joint ( P <0.05). The most important cause of injuries was fatigue ( P <0.05). The non-contact injury was the most significant injury mechanism ( P <0.05). The severity of injury in Iranian elite Taekwondo athletes was high ( P <0.05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that injuries during training were more than competition, acute injury was more than chronic, strain was the most common type of injury, and the most vulnerable joint was the knee. Fatigue was the leading cause of injuries in elite Taekwondo athletes. So, in designing an injury prevention program, these factors should be considered.