Article Text
Abstract
Objectives To assess (1) the 1-year prevalence of previous shoulder, knee and ankle injuries; (2) the in-season prevalence proportion (prevalence) of injuries and illnesses, injury incidence rate (ir) and injury burden (product of ir and weeks with injuries); (3) initial injury management strategies.
Methods We conducted a cohort study of 679 highest-division Danish handball players aged 14–18. Players self-reported past-year shoulder, knee and ankle injuries at baseline, and weekly information on any handball-related injuries (irrespective of time loss and medical attention), illnesses, exposure hours and injury management over 31 weeks.
Results At baseline, 46% (95% CI 42% to 49%) of the players reported a past-year shoulder, knee or ankle injury. The weekly average injury and illness prevalence was 21% (95% CI 19% to 23%) and 2% (95% CI 1.7% to 2.3%), respectively, and the ir was 9.4 (95% CI 8.7 to 10.2)/1000 hours. Females experienced the highest injury burden from knee injuries (ir: 1.7 (95% CI 1.3 to 2.2) × 6.7 (95% CI 4.7 to 8.7) weeks with injury/1000 hours), while males experienced the highest injury burden from shoulder injuries (ir: 1.3 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.7) × 5.7 (95% CI 3.6 to 7.8) weeks with injury/1000 hours). Health professionals were consulted in 58% (95% CI 54% to 62%) of injuries, players independently made the return to sport decision in 44% (95% CI 37% to 51%) of injury recurrences, and used analgesics, mainly (91% (95% CI 85% to 95%)) sourced from home, in 24% (95% CI 21% to 28%) of injuries.
Conclusion Almost half of highest-division adolescent Danish handball players reported a previous past-year shoulder, knee or ankle injury. Any time during the season, 21% reported an injury and 2% an illness. The highest injury burdens were from knee injuries in females and shoulder injuries in males. Health professionals often managed injuries, but players frequently made return to sport decisions independently and commonly used analgesics sourced from home.
- Athletic Injuries
- Treatment
- Exercise training
- Health promotion
- Preventive Medicine
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. All data are available on reasonable request. All personally identifiable information will be deleted or anonymised before data transfer.
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Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. All data are available on reasonable request. All personally identifiable information will be deleted or anonymised before data transfer.
Footnotes
X @Merete_Moller, @RUNSAFE_Rasmus
Contributors All authors contributed to the manuscript preparation. SM and MM performed the analyses. MM was responsible for data collection. MM is responsible for the overall content (guarantor). The first author utilized Paperpal as a language AI model for language editing and shortening the text when necessary. All AI-generated content was thoroughly reviewed by all authors, and we take the responsibility for the integrity of the content generated by Paperpal.
Funding This study was funded by The Danish Rheumatism Association (grant number R114-A2678), Team Danmark.
Competing interests MM is an Associate Editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.
Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Author note All authors contributed to the manuscript preparation. SM and MM performed the analyses. MM was responsible for data collection. MM is responsible for the overall content (guarantor).
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