ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Risk factors for hamstring injuries in community level Australian football

B J Gabbe¹, C F Finch², K L Bennell³ and H Wajswelner⁴

¹ Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
² University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
³ University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
⁴ Australian Institute of Sport, Belconnen, ACT, Australia

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Gabbe
Monash University, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Central and Eastern Clinical School, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia; Belinda.gabbe{at}med.monash.edu.au

Objectives: To identify risk factors for hamstring injury at the community level of Australian football.

Methods: A total of 126 community level Australian football players participated in this prospective cohort study. To provide baseline measurements, they completed a questionnaire and had a musculoskeletal screen during the 2000 preseason. All were monitored over the season. Injury surveillance and exposure data were collected for the full season. Survival analysis was used to identify independent predictors of hamstring injury.

Results: A hamstring injury was the first injury of the season in 20 players (16%). After adjustment for exposure, increasing age and decreased quadriceps flexibility were identified as significant independent predictors of the time to sustaining a hamstring injury. Older age (23 years) was associated with an increased risk of hamstring injury (RR 3.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 14.0; p = 0.044). Players with increased quadriceps flexibility (as measured by the modified Thomas test) were less likely to sustain a hamstring injury (RR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.8; p = 0.022).

Conclusions: The findings of this study can be used in the development of hamstring injury prevention strategies and to identify Australian football players at increased risk of hamstring injury.

Keywords: prospective cohort study; risk factors; hamstring injuries; Australian football

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