Injury Prevalence and Associated Factors in Japanese Competitive Kendo Collegiate Athletes

In Japan, many schools include kendo as part of the school physical education program. Farther afield, kendo also serves as a life-long method to improve and retain physical fitness and mental skills for adults of all ages around the world. Therefore, kendo has the potential to be an inexpensive public health modality if proven safe. This study aimed to investigate the 1-year prevalence of kendo-related injuries in Japanese collegiate athletes. The factors associated with kendo injuries were explored in a retrospective observational study using an online survey between June 2022 and August 2023. Athlete characteristics and injury occurrence, location, type, and circumstances were recorded. The survey was completed by 143 athletes (average age 19.9 years) with an average of 12.9 years of experience in kendo. We found that the 1-year prevalence of injuries in Japanese kendo collegiate athletes was 43%. The only factors associated with injury were sex and body mass index (BMI) status. Female athletes were 4.9 time more likely to report an injury than male athletes, whereas athletes with overweight or obese status (BMI ≥ 25) were 3.7 times more likely to report an injury than athletes with underweight or normal BMI status (BMI < 25). Special attention should be given to injury prevention and long-term development in female kendo athletes, especially in strength training.