Performance Increases in Pair Skating and Ice Dance at International Championships and Olympic Games

Thomas Rauer (), Hans-Christoph Pape, Zoé Stehlin, Sandro Heining, Matthias Knobe, Tim Pohlemann and Bergita Ganse
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Thomas Rauer: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
Hans-Christoph Pape: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
Zoé Stehlin: Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Sandro Heining: Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
Matthias Knobe: Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, 6000 Luzern, Switzerland
Tim Pohlemann: Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
Bergita Ganse: Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-8

Abstract: In pair skating and ice dance, performance seems to have increased at international competitions, which is potentially associated with changes in athlete age. We hypothesized increasing age, numbers of total points and more complex jumps of the best elite couples at international championships in recent years. Corresponding data were assessed via the results databases of the European and World Championships, as well as the Winter Olympics since 2005. Linear regression statistics were conducted, and significance was assessed via one-way ANOVAs. There were no significant changes in age. Increases in total points were found in both disciplines (World and European Championships both p < 0.001 for both disciplines, Olympics pair skating p = 0.003, ice dance n/a). Significant increases were found in the number of double and triple twist jumps at the European Championships (Double p = 0.046, triple p = 0.041), but not at the World Championships or the Olympics. At the World Championships, single solo jumps decreased ( p = 0.031) in favor of triple jumps, which increased ( p = 0.020), without a similar effect at the European Championships or Olympics. In conclusion, increases in total points and more complex jumps were observed at international championships without associated changes in age. Attention should be given to possible changes in the incidence of acute and overuse injuries following this development.

Keywords: performance; figure skating; winter sports; elite athlete; trauma; age; competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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