Aim To assess the injury profile in young male and female karate athletes. Patients and methods Subjects (218 boys and 84 girls, 7-15 years) were competing at an Open Dutch Karate Championship. Data were collected with simple check-off forms that described the athlete and nature, site, circumstances and severity of the injury. Injury rates were calculated per 1000 athletes-exposures (AE). Relative risk (RR) was calculated as well as the 95%CI around the injury rates. Results There was no difference in injury rate between boys and girls: 99.74 per 1000 AE (95%CI: 77.32-122.16) versus 115.11 per 1000 AE (95%CI: 75.23-154.99). The girls were also not at a higher risk of incurring an injury (RR = 1.093, 95%CI: 0.788-1.516, p = 0.596). In the boys, the head and neck were more likely to get injured compared to the upper extremities: RR = 2.65 (95%CI: 1.39-5.03, p = 0.003). In the girls, although there was no significant difference between the injury rates of the head and neck and the upper extremities, the head and neck were at a higher risk to sustain an injury: RR = 3.50 (95%CI: 1.29-9.49, p = 0.014). In the boys, the mechanism of injury tended to involve a punch compared to a kick: RR = 1.41 (95%CI: 1.00-2.00, p = 0.053). Conclusion The head and neck were at higher risk to sustain an injury, while punches were the main injury mechanism.
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