Ninja warrior injuries: from epidemiology to management and return to sports

INTRODUCTION: Ninja warrior activities have gained considerable popularity worldwide in recent years. Despite the increasing number of participants, there is limited research on the epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in these activities. This study aims to investigate the frequency, types, and severity of injuries sustained during ninja warrior activities, identify common treatment approaches and assess potential risk factors for delayed return to sports. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study based on self-reported data collected via an online questionnaire developed by orthopedic surgeons following a thorough review of the literature. The survey, disseminated online, was available from May 2023 to October 2024, and 103 Ninja Warrior athletes participated. The questionnaire assessed demographics, sports participation, injury characteristics, management, and post-injury outcomes, including return-to-sport metrics. T-test was used to compare normally distributed continuous data among two groups, and regression analysis was employed to identify and quantify factors influencing time to return to sport. The significance level was set at P