Characteristics and results of included descriptive epidemiological studies
| Study* | Study design | Study population | Injury definition | General incidence | Upper ext (%) | Lower ext (%) | Trunk/head (%) | Type of injury reported | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *First author and reference number. | |||||||||
| ACL, anterior cruciate ligament; ; d, days; ext, extremity; F, female; I/D, indoor; inj, injury; h, hours; m, months; M, male; NR, not reported; O/D, outdoor; OPD, outpatient department; PF, patellofemoral joint; wk, weeks; y, years. | |||||||||
| Vriend104 | Cross sectional study: telephone interviews, with recall period of 3 m (2000–2004) | General population: in each of the 5 y, 10 000 people were interviewed, of whom ∼50% were sports participants | All acute and chronic injuries or ailments that developed as a result of or during sports participation in the past 3 m | 1.1/1000 h: O/D 0.9/1000 h; I/D 1.6/1000 h | 29.1 | 53.6 | 10.2 (not defined 3.7) | NR | 52% required medical treatment (O/D 49%, I/D 59%, NS) |
| Jayanthi105 | Cross sectional, questionnaire; recall period 1 y | 140 M, 388 F recreational league players (International Tennis Number 3 to 8); mean age 46.9 y | Any injury or pain the player had experienced in the past 12 m preventing play for ⩾7 d | 3.0 inj/1000 h; prevalence 52.9 inj/100 players | 41 | 49 | 3 | Overuse injuries predominated, most in upper extremity | NR |
| Kühne106 | Prospective study, follow up 6 months | 60 competitive, 50 recreational players; C range 16–35 y, mean 25; R range 40–68 y, mean 53 | The injuries and problems that the player experienced during the tennis season | 1.5 inj/player/y | 25 | 64 | 11 | Cramps, strains, and sprains were most common | 3.3% of acute and 2.2% of chronic injuries were eventually operated |
| Da Silva107 | Prospective study with 1 y follow up; all medical treatments required during tournament | Elite junior players, participating in the national circuit in Brazil in the <12, <14, <16, and <18 age categories | Any consultation and/or treatment given to a player during a tournament on site | 6.9 medical treatment/1000 games played | NR | NR | NR | Cramps (muscle contracture) were most common | NR |
| LIS 1999–2003108 | Prospective study of injuries treated at the first aid department of 15 selected hospitals in Netherlands | General population; 7700 tennis players | Injuries requiring treatment at the first aid department of the hospital | 0.04 inj/1000 h | 28 | 59 | 13 | Acute, more severe type of injuries; sprains most common (59%) | Costs per injury €830; 5% hospitalised for an average of 5 d |
| Schmikli109 | Cross sectional study: telephone interviews; recall periods 1 month (1986–87), 1 month (1992–93), and 3 months (1997–98) | General population, 1982–83; 67 139 persons, of whom 31 688 played sports | Injuries or ailments newly developed as a result of or during sports participation in the past 4 wk (3 m); chronic injuries not recorded | 1986–87: I/D 1.8/1000 h; O/D 1.2/1000 h; 1992–93: I/D 2.9/1000 h; O/D 1.2/1000 h; 1997–98: I/D 1.0/1000 h; O/D 0.5/1000 h | NR | NR | NR | NR | Medical treatment required: O/D, 27%, 34%, and 39% of injuries; I/D, 57%, 60%, and 66% |
| Sallis110 | Retrospective cohort study of injury reports compiled by athletic trainers with a 15 y follow up period | College players; range 18–22 y; 3767 participants, divided over sports, including tennis | Medical problem as a result of sport participation requiring visit to training room | 0.456 M; 0.425 F per player/y | 23.1 M; 21.9 F | 62.2 M; 70.7 F | 14.6 M; 7.2 F | NR | No ACL injuries, otherwise NR |
| Steinbrück111 | Prospective longitudinal study with 25 y follow up; visits to sports orthopaedic and trauma OPD | General population; 1257 M and 858 F tennis players | Not defined: any medical problem that required a visit to the sports medicine clinic was registered as an injury | NR | 21 | 60 | 19 | Knee 25%; ankle 23% | NR |
| Weijermans112 | Prospective cohort study of 46 tennis clubs; follow up 6 months (O/D tennis season); injuries reported to contact person | 179 club players | Tennis related problem resulting in loss of practice or match time, need for medical consultation, or negative social/economic consequences (absence from school/work) | 0.11/1000 h | NR | 67 | NR | Mostly acute injuries; tennis leg and sprained ankle most common | For the 5 most common injuries, 60% needed medical consultation, and 20% absence from school/work |
| Hutchinson113 | Prospective cohort study, with follow up of 6 y | 1440 male participants at the USTA National Boys Championships 1986–1988; 1990–1992 | Any medical problem requiring physical or medical assistance | 21.5/1000 athletic exposures; 9.9/100 players | 26 | 51 | 22 | Sprains 58% | One athlete transported to hospital for heat exhaustion |
| Baxter-Jones114 | Prospective cohort study | 156 elite players in five 2-y age groups from 8–16 y | Any injury resulting in discontinuation of training and/or medical treatment | 0.52 inj/player/y | NR | NR | NR | Osteochondrosis 26% | Acute injuries 13 d lay-off time; chronic injuries 20 d |
| Lanese115 | Prospective cohort study | 12 M, 11 F college players, 18–22 y | Traumatic medical problem due to sports participation resulting in time loss from practice or competition | 1.6 inj/1000 h (M); 1.0 inj/1000 h (F), p = 0.37 | NR | NR | NR | NR | 2.42 (0.57) disability d per 100 person h |
| Winge116 | Prospective study, follow up 6 months (O/D tennis season) | Elite players: 61 M, mean age 28 y; 28 F, mean age 22 y | Every problem that appeared in connection with tennis, handicapped the player during play, and/or required special treatment | 0.52 inj/player/season; 2.3 inj/1000 h (M 2.7, F 1.1) | 45.7 | 39 | 11 | Shoulder injuries 17% | Mean injury period 44.5 d; absence from work practically 0 |
| Krause117 | Cross sectional | 78 M + 49 elite players, age range 15–46 y | NR | 0.7 inj/player/y | 36.4 | 44.3 | 19.3 | Shoulder, back, and ankle 85% | NR |
| Chard118 | Longitudinal study, 8 y follow up; visits to sports medicine clinic | 78 M + 53 recreational players, age range 8–66 y | Medical problem related to tennis that required a visit to the sports injury clinic (self referral for acute injuries; referral by GP for chronic injuries) | NR | 35 | 45 | 20 | PF problems 44%; acute injuries 70%, chronic injuries 30% | NR |
| Reece119 | Retrospective cohort study: injuries requiring attention of medical officer or physiotherapist | 24 M + 21 F elite players at Australian Institute of Sport, aged 16–20 y, mean 17.6 | Any injury that required attention from the medical officer or physiotherapist | 2.5 inj player/y (M); 2.9 inj/player/y (F) | 20 | 59 | 21 | Ankle sprain most common, followed by calf and quadriceps strain | 2 conditions required surgical intervention |
| Von Salis-Soglio120 | Cross sectional study: interview and medical examination | 15 elite M players, 1–15 in German National ranking; mean age 28 y; range 15–43 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | Shoulder and elbow problems (tennis elbow) most common | Small risk for long term problems |
| Von Krämer121 | Retrospective study, follow up 17.5 y | 100 M and 26 F recreational players, mean age 43 y | Complaints and diseases which resulted from playing tennis | NR | 47.5 | 31.1 | 16.6 | Tennis elbow 39%; Achilles tendon 15%) | NR |
| Biener122–124 | Cross sectional | 203 M, 72 F high level competitive players; mean age 28 y | NR | 0.05 inj/player/y | 48.6 | 43.4% | 2/6 | Tennis elbow 36%; sprains 21%; strains 14% | NR |