Payal Vasant Dhawale, Vishnu Vardhan, Sarath Babu, Ayyappan Jayavel
Injuries are common among youth and adolescent badminton players. Limited evidence from two prospective studies suggests that injury risk may increase during mid-to-late adolescence, and higher injury rates have been reported among elite-level players with greater training exposure. Variations in injury definitions, surveillance approaches, and exposure measurements across studies make comparisons difficult and reduce consistency within the current evidence base.
INTRODUCTION: Badminton is the most popular sport among adolescents across the world. Injury-related research focusing specifically on this age group remains limited. Much of the existing literature combines adolescent players with broader athletic populations, making it difficult to understand injury patterns unique to youth and adolescent badminton players. This review examined the available evidence related to injury prevalence, incidence, anatomical distribution, injury characteristics, and potential risk factors in youth and adolescent badminton players (aged 7-22 years, with some studies including broader age ranges). It also aimed to highlight areas where current knowledge of injury prevention remains incomplete. This is the first scoping review to apply the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) methodology to youth badminton injury literature, enabling systematic mapping of evidence gaps and informing future research priorities in this area.
METHODS: This scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. A comprehensive English-language search was conducted in June 2025 using PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and reference list screening. Ten observational studies met the eligibility criteria. The studies varied in design, including prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional approaches. Injury data were collected during training, competition, or both, and different injury definitions were used, including pain- or symptom-based, time-loss, and medical attention. Exposure measurements also differed across studies, with reports based on training hours or player exposure. Owing to these methodological differences, a meta-analysis was not feasible, and the findings were summarized descriptively without formal quality appraisal, consistent with the scoping review methodology.
RESULTS: Ten observational studies were included in this review. The included studies showed substantial variations in study design, settings, injury definitions, and exposure measurements. Injury prevalence ranged from 18.1% in Malaysian national-level players to 33.87% in elite Sri Lankan junior players, although differences in injury definitions and study populations limit direct comparisons between studies. Studies using pain- and symptom-based surveillance, which captures minor symptoms that do not require medical attention, have reported a prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints exceeding 60% in larger Japanese youth badminton cohorts.
CONCLUSION: Injuries are common among youth and adolescent badminton players. Limited evidence from two prospective studies suggests that injury risk may increase during mid-to-late adolescence, and higher injury rates have been reported among elite-level players with greater training exposure. Variations in injury definitions, surveillance approaches, and exposure measurements across studies make comparisons difficult and reduce consistency within the current evidence base.