December 18, 2023
The fencer held their right hand out with the sword pointed to the sky. The other fencer then moved towards them with their sword pointed at the first fencer’s chest. The first fencer swiftly moved back and brought their sword down, clashing with the second fencer’s sword and keeping it away from their chest. With the two fencers jousting back and forth, the first fencer started to feel a pain emerge in their knee with the brace and walked slowly over to a bench once the jousting ended.
Fencing is one sport where athletes frequently change direction and this can lead to certain knee injuries. One knee injury is an ACL injury, which is an injury to the tissue connecting the upper and lower bones in the leg, and this injury can require significant time away from sport. In a recent study, researchers from Sweden and Italy reviewed whether the timing to return to sport affected an athlete’s risk for reinjuring their ACL. The researchers reported that those who returned earlier to their sport after an ACL injury were more likely to reinjure their ACL compared to those who waited longer to return. In such case, waiting another month before returning to your sport might help you avoid sitting on the bench with another ACL injury.
To read the full article, visit the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy:
To learn more about fencing injuries, visit the Active and Safe fencing webpage: