Extrinsic risk factors for injury
| Risk factor | Sport | Sex | Injuries studied | Study type | Effect of risk factor | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACL, Anterior cruciate ligament; EPI, epidemiological; PRF, prospective study of potential risk factors; RCT, randomised clinical trials; PNRCS, prospective non-randomised comparative study. | ||||||
| Level of competition | European team handball | m,f | ACL | PNRCS | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 14 |
| European team handball | m | All | PRF | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 6 | |
| American football | n/a | All | PRF | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 7 | |
| Basketball | m,f | All | PRF | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 8 | |
| Soccer | m | All | EPI | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 9 | |
| Soccer | m | All | PRF | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 10 | |
| Ice hockey | m | All | EPI | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 12 | |
| Volleyball | m,f | All | PRF | Increased risk in games compared with practice for males; and no difference for females | 13 | |
| Australian football, field hockey, basketball, netball | m,f | Lower extremity, back | EPI | Incidence greatest in first 4 weeks compared with remainder of season | 15 | |
| Soccer | f | Lower extremity | PRF | Increased risk in games compared with practice | 11 | |
| Skill level | Soccer | m | All | PRF | Increased incidence in less skilled players | 16 |
| Soccer | m | All severe | PRF | Increased incidence in less skilled players | 17 | |
| Netball | f | Lower extremity, back | PRF | Increased incidence in more skilled players | 18 | |
| Basketball | m,f | Ankle | PRF | Increased incidence in college v high school | 19 | |
| Shoe Type | Basketball | m,f | Ankle | PRF | Increased incidence with inflatable air cells in heels | 22 |
| American football | n/a | ACL | PRF | Increased incidence with edge style cleats compared with other cleat designs | 23 | |
| Military training | m | Ankle | PRF | No difference between combat boots and basketball shoes | 20 | |
| Basketball | m,f | Ankle | RCT | No difference between low top, hi top, or hi top w/ air cell | 21 | |
| Ankle Bracing | Military training, basketball | m,f | Knee and ankle | RCT | Fewer contact injuries among braced athletes; and no difference in non-contact injuries | 25 |
| Soccer | m | Ankle | RCT | Fewer injuries among braced and exercise group compared with unbraced | 27 | |
| Soccer | m | Ankle | RCT | Fewer ankle injuries among braced athletes with previous injury; and no difference in ankle injury rates in athletes without previous injury | 26 | |
| Basketball | m,f | Ankle | PRF | No difference between braced, taped, unbraced athletes | 22 | |
| Playing surface | Soccer | m | All | PRF | Increased incidence on turf compared with grass or gravel | 30 |
| American football | m | Knee, foot/ankle | PRF | Increased incidence on turf compared with grass | 29 | |