A Narrative Review of the Potential Injuries in Coastal Rowing Beach Sprint: An Approach to Improve Medical Care in Training and Competition

Coastal rowing beach sprint is scheduled for inclusion in the Olympic program at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. This discipline represents a modification of traditional Olympic rowing, featuring head-to-head competition that combines short beach sprints with an offshore rowing course around a buoy slalom before returning to shore. Compared with classic Olympic rowing, Beach Sprint rowing presents a distinct injury profile, with the potential to exacerbate injury patterns already common in rowing while introducing additional environmental hazards. Factors such as larger waves, stronger currents, and ocean swell may increase the incidence of acute traumatic injuries in a sport traditionally dominated by overuse injuries. Consequently, team physicians and medical personnel should be familiar with the specific risks and injury patterns associated with this discipline, ensure that appropriate medical equipment is readily available near the course, and establish efficient procedures for safe and rapid evacuation of athletes from the beach. Additionally, the provision of adequate shade, access to fresh water for cleansing potential pathogen entry sites, and appropriate protective equipment in conditions of high waves or strong winds are important measures to reduce the risk of injury and infection.