Never before so many shoulder injuries among Dutch athletes

The number of shoulder injuries among Dutch athletes has significantly increased, reaching 530,000 in 2025. This rise is attributed to the popularity of sports like hyrox and padel, where the shoulder is heavily used. Many athletes start training intensely without proper conditioning, leading to overuse injuries. Experts recommend gradual training, proper warm-ups, and strengthening exercises to prevent injuries. Despite the increase in injuries, the relative risk per 1,000 hours of sport has not risen, as overall sports participation has grown more significantly than the injury rate. Attention should focus on injury prevention rather than recovery.