The Hidden Impact of Fencing Floors

Fencing is a sport that has captured the interest of athletes worldwide. It is common to see competitions happening on tough floors, especially in the United States. These hard surfaces, often found in convention centers, can lead to injuries from the high-impact moves fencers make, like the lunge. A recent study looked into how different materials under the fencing piste can affect the shock absorbed by the tibia during a lunge on concrete. The study focused on tibial accelerations, which measure the impact shock experienced by fencers. The goal was to find a material that could lower the risk of injury by reducing this impact shock. Sixty-nine fencers, including 35 females, took part in the study. They performed five lunges each on six different surfaces during the 2024 US Senior National Championships. These surfaces ranged from various materials placed under the standard aluminum piste to just the concrete floor. To measure the impact, a triaxial accelerometer was attached to the tibia of each participant. This device recorded the acceleration along the length of the tibia at a high frequency. The data was collected using a logging system worn in a backpack. The peak acceleration was recorded for each lunge, and the average was calculated from three lunges after removing the highest and lowest values for each surface. The results showed that Surface E, which was a non-absorbent vinyl loop material, significantly reduced tibial accelerations compared to the standard concrete setup. This suggests that adding cushioning materials to competition surfaces could help lower the impact shock of the fencing lunge. This could potentially reduce the risk of overuse injuries like tendonitis and tenosynovitis, which are common among fencers. However, there is more to consider. Future research should look into the best properties for these materials, such as thickness and softness. The aim is to find a balance between injury prevention and maintaining the high performance standards required in competitive fencing. It is important to note that while the study provides valuable insights, it is just one piece of the puzzle. More research is needed to fully understand how to protect fencers from injuries while ensuring they can perform at their best. This is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach.