If you ask a group of non-fencers how safe fencing is, conjecture would probably center on the safety of the blade.  The non fencers would be reassured to know that deaths in fencing are few and far between.  In fact, more people die playing football each year than in fencing.

Ask a group of veteran fencers what the dangers of fencing are, and you are more likely to hear about pulled muscles, tendon injuries, and trauma to the ligaments of the knees and ankles.  Some fencers experience overuse issues with the elbow joint (lateral epicondylitis) not unlike those faced by tennis players.