Musculoskeletal injury incidence, associated factors, and players' beliefs in beach tennis: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION

Beach tennis is increasingly demanding, raising injury risk linked to overload, poor recovery, and limited prevention. Identifying related factors may help reduce musculoskeletal injuries.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in beach tennis players, investigate practice habits and beliefs about injury causes in beach tennis players, and investigate factors associated with injury occurrence between injured and non-injured players.

METHODS

Retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive epidemiological study with 235 beach tennis players (186 amateur, 6 professional, and 43 recreational) across Brazil. Data were collected via digital questionnaire between April and September 2024, covering demographics, training habits, sleep, nutrition, pain, and injury history. Injury incidence was calculated per 1000 hours of exposure. Associations were explored using unadjusted chi-square and t-tests; given convenience sampling, comparisons between competitive levels were interpreted descriptively.

RESULTS

Injury incidence was 1.11 per 1000 hours of exposure. Injury prevalence differed by competitive level (professionals 83.3%, recreational 30.2%; unadjusted/descriptive). Older age (p < .001), longer practice duration (p < .001), and inadequate sleep (p < .001) were associated with injury in unadjusted analyses. Over half of respondents attributed injuries to lack of muscle strengthening and repetitive movements. Preventive routines such as warming up, mobility drills, and muscle activation were more common among injured athletes, potentially reflecting higher physical demand.

CONCLUSION

Musculoskeletal injuries in beach tennis are significantly associated with age, prolonged exposure, and poor sleep quality. Professional players presented higher injury prevalence than recreational athletes. Comparisons across competitive levels should be interpreted with caution due to potential selection bias and age-related differences.