Epidemiology of Injuries in High-Performance Taekwondo: A Systematic Review
Celia García Blanco, Aldara Vazquez-Mendez, Orlando Conde, Irimia Mollinedo-Cardalda

TL;DR
This study reviews injury patterns in elite taekwondo athletes, finding that lower limb injuries from direct contact are most common, especially during competitions.
Contribution
The paper provides a systematic review of injury epidemiology in high-performance taekwondo, highlighting gaps in injury prevention and reporting standards.
Findings
Lower limb injuries, particularly to the foot and knee, are most common in elite taekwondo.
Contusions are the most frequent injury type, followed by sprains and ligament tears.
Injury incidence is higher during competition than training, with direct contact being the main cause.
Abstract
Taekwondo is a traditional South Korean martial art and Olympic combat sport that has gained global popularity. At elite competitive levels, its high-intensity, full-contact nature carries a substantial risk of injury. The aim of this study was to synthesize current evidence on the epidemiology of injuries in high-performance taekwondo athletes and to inform future injury-prevention strategies. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and SportDiscus (February-March 2025). Search terms included Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) “Wounds and Injuries,” “Athletes,” and “Martial Arts,” as well as the free term “taekwondo,” combined with Boolean operators. Eligible studies were observational, published in English or Spanish between 2018 and 2024,…
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Taxonomy
TopicsSports injuries and prevention · Winter Sports Injuries and Performance · Shoulder Injury and Treatment
