prevalence of sports injuries in swimmers and the predictive role of upper and lower extremity y-balance tests

Background :swimming, though low-impact, presents a high risk of overuse injuries, particularly in the shoulder, knee, spine, and hip/groin. identifying risk factors is crucial for effective injury prevention. the y-balance tests for the upper quarters (ybt-uqs) and lower quarters (ybt-lqs) assess neuromuscular control, but their predictive value for swimming-related injuries remains unclear. objectives :the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of sports injuries among swimmers and evaluate the predictive capacity of ybt-uq and ybt-lq for injury risk. methods :this study was designed as a retrospective cohort study conducted on 170 competitive swimmers, 102 males and 68 females (60% male, 40% female) (aged 15 - 60 years) with at least one year of regular training. data on demographics, training history, and injury occurrence were collected via questionnaires, and logistic regression analysis examined predictors of injury. results :age was the only significant predictor, with each additional year increasing injury likelihood by 2.5% (or = 1.025, p = 0.027). the overall injury incidence in the sample was approximately 27%, as 46 out of 170 swimmers reported at least one sports-related injury. other demographic and training factors, as well as ybt-uq results, were not significant predictors (p > 0.05). in ybt-lq, only the left leg's posteromedial reach distance showed a weak association with injury (p = 0.012). conclusions :age is the primary predictor of injury in swimmers, while y-balance tests have limited utility as stand-alone screening tools. future research should integrate biomechanical assessments for improved injury prediction.