Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
A study commissioned by World Aquatics and published in the International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine offers insight into the training routines and injury experiences of elite high divers. The research surveyed over half of the competitors at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, detailing their training habits.
One key finding is that elite high divers dedicate more weekly hours to gym workouts, dryland skill practice, and low diving sessions than to dives from competition heights (20 meters for women, 27 meters for men). Recovery methods such as stretching, ice baths, massage, and physiotherapy are also important parts of their schedules.
The study reports that access to full competition-height platforms is limited for many athletes, with 67% of female and 40% of male divers not practicing weekly from competition height or lacking access entirely. Athletes consider diving from both low and high platforms essential for building competition readiness. The study suggests competition venues should provide lower platforms in addition to full-height facilities to support gradual preparation.
Regarding physical demands, soreness after competition was most commonly reported in the neck, calves, and lower back, reflecting the impacts of feet-first entry from height. Over the prior year, female divers reported 16 injuries, evenly split between acute and overuse types, while male divers reported 24 injuries, of which 88% were acute.