###### Abstract  
To develop a prevention program for rowing-related injuries, it is crucial to study the epidemiological characteristics of injuries among Chinese rowing athletes. This study aimed to investigate the distribution and incidence of injuries among Chinese rowing athletes aged 12-24 years. A retrospective study was conducted in 2024 among 207 rowing athletes in China using a rowing-specific questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised two sections: the first section collected basic information, including gender, age, height, weight, years of training experience, daily training hours, weekly training days, and weekly training hours; the second section collected information on rowing-related injuries over the past year, including injury locations, mechanisms, and severity. An injury was defined as a physical complaint with time loss and/or medical care. Rowing-related injuries were normalized to rates per 1000 training hours and per 1000 training sessions, calculated using the Poisson distribution based on age and gender. A total of 131 injuries were reported, including 51 (38.9%) acute-onset and 80 gradual-onset (61.1%) injuries. The lower back was the most common site (39.7%, 52 cases), followed by the knee and shoulder. Over two-thirds of the injuries caused less than a week's absence from rowing. The overall injury rate per 1000 training hours was 0.46 (95% CI: 0.38-0.54), and the overall injury rate per 1000 training sessions pivot for force transmission, while power is produced by transferring force from the lower limbs to the oar blades through the upper limbs, generating propulsive force in the water and propelling the boat forward [1]. A training session is defined as a day during which an athlete participates in training. Retrospective studies indicated that professional rowers sustain 1.75-2.25 injuries per 1000 training sessions [2; 3; 4], with male athletes experiencing 1.95-2.20 injuries and female athletes experiencing 2.35-2.36 injuries per 1000 sessions [3; 4]. A separate retrospective study of amateur rowers reported an injury rate of 5.70 injuries per 1000 sessions, with male participants sustaining 6.70 injuries and female participants sustaining 4.90 injuries per 1000 sessions [5]. Rowing-related injuries often occur in the trunk and lower limbs, such as the lower back and knee [3; 4; 6]. Most rowing-related injuries are gradual onset, with the ratio of acute-onset to gradual-onset injuries being 1:1.70-2.80 [2; 3; 4].  
A previous study on professional rowing athletes reported that several rowers withdrew from competitions due to injuries, requiring up to eight months of recovery following surgery [7]. Sports injuries not only impact training and competition performance but also result in lasting damage to an athlete's physical function [8]. Thus, preventing rowing-related injuries is crucial for athletes and coaches, especially for adolescent athletes who are growing and developing.  
To enhance injury prevention programs for rowing athletes, quantify the differences between adolescent and adult athletes, and optimize rehabilitation pathways to improve athletic performance and prolong athletic careers, this study aimed to (1) investigate the injury distribution, incidence, and anatomical sites of the most frequent injuries in Chinese rowers aged 12-24 years and (2) clarify the differences in injury characteristics between adolescent and adult rowers.