Knee, Low Back, and Shoulder Problems Among University and Professional Volleyball Players: Playing With Pain.

CONTEXT: The knee, low back, and shoulder account for most overuse injuries in volleyball. Previous researchers have used methodology that did not examine the extent of injury burden and effect on performance. OBJECTIVE: To develop a more accurate and complete understanding regarding the weekly prevalence and burden of knee, low back, and shoulder problems within the highest levels of men's volleyball, including the role that preseason complaints, match participation, player position, team, and age have on complaints. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING: Professional volleyball clubs and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I program. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 75 male volleyball players, representing 4 teams playing in their country's respective premier league (Japan, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States), participated over a 3-season period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Players completed a weekly questionnaire (Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Overuse Injury Questionnaire) reporting pain related to their sport and the extent to which knee, low back, and shoulder problems affected participation, training volume, and performance. Problems leading to moderate or severe reductions in training volume or performance or the inability to participate were considered substantial problems. RESULTS: The mean weekly prevalence of knee, low back, and shoulder problems based on 102 player-seasons was 31% (95% CI = 28%, 34%), 21% (95% CI = 18%, 23%), and 19% (95% CI = 18%, 21%), respectively. Most players (93%, 95/102 player-seasons) reported some level of knee (79%, n = 81/102 player-seasons), low back (71%, n = 72/102 player-seasons), or shoulder (67%, n = 68/102 player-seasons) complaints during the season. Most players (58%, n = 59/102 player-seasons) experienced at least 1 episode of substantial problems affecting the knee (33%, n = 34/102 player-seasons), low back (27%, n = 28/102 player-seasons), or shoulder (27%, n = 28/102 player-seasons). Players with preseason complaints had more in-season complaints than teammates without preseason problems (mean weekly prevalence: knee, 42% versus 8%, t49 = -18.726, P < .001; low back, 34% versus 6%, t32 = -12.025, P < .001; shoulder, 38% versus 8%, t30 = -10.650, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Nearly all included elite male volleyball players experienced knee, low back, or shoulder problems, and most had at least 1 bout that substantially reduced training participation or sport performance. These findings suggest that knee, low back, and shoulder problems result in greater injury burden than previously reported.

Occurrence of injuries and illnesses in athletes with a physical impairment; a forty-week prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, the knowledge about the epidemiology of sport-related health problems of athletes with a physical impairment is limited. Therefore, this study aims to describe the prevalence, incidence and severity of sport-related health problems of athletes with a physical impairment in the Netherlands over a one sport season. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: Athletes (n = 99) with a physical impairment participated in this study. After completing a baseline questionnaire, athletes started a 40-week health monitoring period, during which they completed the Dutch translation of the OSTRC Questionnaire on Health Problems every week. Based on the reported information, injury and illness prevalence, incidence, weekly cumulative severity score, weekly time loss from sport and the total burden were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 368 health problems were reported by 95 athletes. These health problems consisted of 258 injuries and 110 illnesses. The average weekly prevalence of health problems was 48.0 %; for injuries 34.6 %, and illnesses 13.4 %. Differences were found when considering injury severity, with the highest severity scores for athletes with a limb deficiency. Furthermore, recreational athletes reported the highest injury severity scores, followed by athletes who competed nationally and athletes who competed internationally. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this study show a high average weekly prevalence of health problems, and differences amongst various impairment categories and sport levels when considering the severity of injuries. These results add to the knowledge regarding sport-related health problem epidemiology in this population, indicating that impairment category and sport level should be taken into account when developing injury prevention strategies.

The Effects of Injury Type on Health-Related Quality of Life in Youth Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and injury type has not been analyzed for young athletes. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in HRQoL between injured athletes, injured nonathletes, and normative data for healthy youth (NDHY) or among athletes with acute, overuse, or concussion injuries. DESIGN: Cross-sectional clinical cohort. SETTING: Primary care sports medicine clinics at 3 academic institutions. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 8 to 18 years presenting with injury. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Injury type and athletic participation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health-related quality of life measured 1 month after injury through the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric-25 v2.0 assessed pain interference, peer relationships, depression, fatigue, anxiety, and mobility. One-way analysis of variance was performed with P values of <0.05 considered significant. Concussion Learning Assessment and School Survey (CLASS) evaluated academic performance. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-seven patients (36% male), with average age of 14.2 years, completed HRQoL and CLASS surveys following injury. There were 196 overuse injuries (55%), 119 acute injuries (33%), and 42 concussions (12%). Ninety-four percent were athletes. Six percent were nonathletes; 90.5% of concussed patients reported grades worsening. Concussed athletes reported more fatigue (P = 0.008) compared with other injury types but no worse than NDHY. Athletes with overuse injuries had lower mobility (P = 0.005) than other injury types and NDHY. Patients with lower HRQoL were female, older age, or required surgery. No other domains had significant differences by injury type nor did HRQoL differ between the athletes, nonathletes, and NDHY. CONCLUSIONS: With the exception of injuries requiring surgery, HRQoL of injured young athletes was similar to NDHY in most domains.

Injuries and Factors Associated with Injuries Among U.S. Army Band Musicians.

The Department of Defense is the largest employer of full-time musicians. In the U.S. military, many musicians experience unique occupational exposures such as extended periods of standing, sitting, and marching for rehearsals and performances, static and non-neutral postures, and a variety of repetitive motions while playing instruments. These exposures are in addition to physical training and fitness standards required of U.S. Army soldiers. METHODS: An electronic survey was administered to active-duty U.S. Army Band musicians. The survey collected demographics, personal characteristics, Army Physical Fitness Test performance, occupational demands, health behaviors, and injuries from October 2017 to December 2018. Survey responses were combined with medical and physical fitness performance records. Descriptive statistics were reported and factors associated with injuries were investigated. RESULTS: There were 465 Army Band members in this population, with approximately half (49%) completing the survey. Most survey respondents (81%) reported an injury in the past year, which they predominantly attributed to overuse (54%). Leading reported activities resulting in injury included running for physical training (21%), repetitive movements while playing an instrument (11%), and standing while playing (11%). A majority of survey respondents (60%) also had a medical encounter for an injury. Factors significantly associated with injury among men were lower aerobic fitness and higher body fat percentage; additional unadjusted factors associated with injury among all Army Band soldiers included female sex, older age, and longer periods of marching and standing while playing. CONCLUSIONS: Injury prevention initiatives for Army Band musicians should focus on the reduction of overuse and repetitive motion injuries. Suggested prevention strategies include balanced physical training, ergonomic adjustments, rehearsal breaks, and leadership support for injury prevention efforts.

Protocol for a 2-year longitudinal study of eating disturbances, mental health problems and overuse injuries in rock climbers (CLIMB).

INTRODUCTION: Rock climbing is a rapidly growing sport in which performance may be affected by participant's weight and leanness, and there may be pressure on athletes with respect to their eating behaviour and body weight. However, there is sparse research performed on climbers, constituting a knowledge gap which the present study aims to fill. The primary outcomes of the study are to examine disordered eating and overuse injuries in rock climbers. Secondary variables are body image, indicators of relative energy deficiency, mental health problems, compulsive training, perfectionism, sleep quality and bone density. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: This prospective longitudinal study aims to recruit Swedish competitive rock climbers (>13 years) via the Swedish Climbing Federation. A non-athlete control group will be recruited via social media (n=equal of the climbing group). Data will be collected using streamlined validated web-based questionnaires with three follow-ups over 2 years. Inclusion criteria for rock climbers will be a minimum advanced level according to International Rock-Climbing Research Association. The non-athlete control group is matched for age and gender. Exclusion criteria are having competed at an elite level in any sport as well as training more often than twice per week. Statistical analyses will include multinominal logistic regression, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). We will assess effect measure modification when relevant and conduct sensitivity analyses to assess the impact of lost to follow-up. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Rock-Climbers' Longitudinal attitudes towards Injuries, Mental health and Body image study, CLIMB, was approved by the Swedish ethics authority (2021-05557-01). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed research papers, reports, research conferences, student theses and stakeholder communications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05587270.

Increased Barefoot Stride Variability Might Be Predictor Rather than Risk Factor for Overuse Injury in the Military.

Footwear usage could be a promising focus in reducing musculoskeletal injury risk in lower extremities commonly observed among the military. The goal of this research was to find potential gait-related risk factors for lower leg overuse injuries. Cases (n = 32) were active-duty infantry soldiers who had suffered an overuse injury in the previous six months of service before enrolling in the study. The control group (n = 32) included infantry soldiers of the same age and gender who did not have a history of lower leg overuse injury. In the gait laboratory, individuals were asked to walk on a 5-m walkway. Rearfoot eversion, ankle plantar/dorsiflexion and stride parameters were evaluated for barefoot and shod conditions. Barefoot walking was associated with higher stride time variability among cases. According to the conditional regression analysis, stride time variability greater than 1.95% (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI (0.648 to 0.883), p < 0.001) during barefoot gait could predict lower leg overuse injury. Increased barefoot gait variability should be considered as a possible predictive factor for lower leg overuse injury in the military, and gait with military boots masked stride-related differences between soldiers with and without lower leg overuse injury.

Injuries and Overuse Syndromes in Rink Hockey Players.

Rink Hockey is a high-speed low-contact sport with a widely recognized injury potential. Played with a hard ball by players wearing little or no protective gear, the rates of concussions and head injuries are of high interest. In this study, we reviewed and investigated injuries sustained by 108 German National League rink hockey players. We conducted an epidemiological cross-sectional study to determine sport-specific injuries and injury patterns in female and male rink hockey players. Data were collected by a standardized questionnaire. A total of 108 players participated in the study. The combined rate of injuries were 9.4/1000 athlete exposures. There was no significant difference between injury rates during games and practice. A sexspecific difference was not detected. Head injuries were the most frequent type (20.8 % of all injuries). Concussions made up 7 % of all head injuries with a rate of 0.76/1000 athlete exposure. Ball contact was the cause for 31 % of injuries, while player contact generated 26.2 % of all injuries. High rates of ball-contact-related injuries resulted in time loss and medical consultations. Head injuries were frequent, however did not result in significant time loss as compared to other injuries. The use of protective gear should be recommended.

Repetitive Strain Injuries in Adults in the Past 3 Months: United States, 2021.

Objectives-This report describes the percentage of adults aged 18 and over who reported injuries from repetitive strain in the past 3 months by selected sociodemographic characteristics, including age, sex, race and Hispanic origin, and family income. The impacts of these injuries-limitation of usual activity for at least 24 hours and whether a medical professional was consulted for the injuries-are also examined. Methods-Data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey were used to estimate the percentage of adults who had repetitive strain injuries in the past 3 months by sociodemographic characteristics. Among those who had a repetitive strain injury in the past 3 months, 24-hour limitation of activity and consultation of a medical professional are also examined by sociodemographic characteristics. Results-In 2021, for adults aged 18 and over in the United States, 9.0% had repetitive strain injuries in the past 3 months. Adults aged 35-49 (10.3%) and 50-64 (11.6%), White non-Hispanic adults (subsequently, White; 9.5%), and adults with family income at 400% or more of the federal poverty level (9.8%) tended to have higher percentages. For those who had repetitive strain injuries, 44.2% limited their activities for at least 24 hours, with the highest percentages among White adults (47.0%), women (47.1%), and adults with a family income less than 200% of the federal poverty level (51.0%). For those who limited their activity for at least 24 hours due to a repetitive strain injury, 51.4% consulted a doctor or medical professional, with the highest percentages among women (56.3%) and Black non-Hispanic adults (66.2%).

Effectiveness of an 18-week general strength and foam-rolling intervention on running-related injuries in recreational runners.

RATIONALE: More research is needed to uncover the effectiveness of combined strength and foam-rolling interventions to prevent running-related injuries. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate effectiveness of an 18-week general strength and foam-rolling intervention on the incidence of running-related injuries. METHOD: This is an 18-week observational comparative study. A total of 433 recreational runners participated (n = 203 female). The intervention group (n = 228) performed general strength and foam-rolling exercises twice weekly for 18 weeks, the control group (n = 205) maintained their regular training habits. Running volume and running-related pain were reported weekly. Secondary analyses were performed on the subgroups of the intervention group based on compliance; low compliance (n = 100), intermediate compliance (n = 63), and high compliance (n = 65). Cumulative incidence proportions were calculated and time-to-event statistics were performed to compare survival times between groups. Univariate cox proportional hazards ratio was calculated to estimate the risk of running-related injuries at 18 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 100 running-related injuries were sustained. The cumulative incidence proportion for the control and intervention groups was 27.1% (95% CI: 21.4-33.9) and 23.0% (95% CI: 17.8-29.4), respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the overall intervention group and control group (log-rank p = 0.31). A significant difference existed between the high-compliance subgroup and the control group (log-rank p = 0.00). Highly compliant runners were 85% less likely (hazard rate ratio = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.05-0.46) to sustain an injury during the study compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Recreational runners highly compliant with the intervention were 85% less likely and took on average 57 days longer to sustain a running-related injury when compared with controls, with a cumulative incidence proportion of 4.6% after 18 weeks.

Association of sports sampling and training frequency with injury among school-age athletes in Japan.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the status of sports participation and training frequency during school years to identify related factors for injuries in the general Japanese population. METHODS: A total of 1,533 adult participants (762 males, 771 females) retrospectively completed a questionnaire assessing sports participation (single/multisport), training frequency (weekly days of sports participation), and injury history (acute and overuse) at each stage of school (elementary, junior high, and high school). RESULTS: In total, 41.1% of participants reported playing multiple sports in elementary school; this rate decreased to 17.4% in junior high school and 8.9% in high school. Weekly days of sports participation were associated with almost all injuries at each age. Participants who still played multiple sports in junior high school had fewer overuse injuries in junior high school and high school (P = 0.017; odds ratio (OR) = 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.51-0.94; P = 0.006, OR = 0.66, 95% CI, 0.49-0.89, respectively). The ratio for sports sampling differed between elementary school and older ages. This trend was associated with the prevalence of overuse injuries. CONCLUSION: Promoting sports sampling through junior high school ages and controlling the training frequency may decrease the occurrence of injuries in young athletes.

Epidemiology of High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) injuries in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: High intensity functional training (HIFT), usually called CrossFit, is a physical training that has gained much popularity in the past few years. The risk of acute and overuse injuries in HIFT is unclear. This study evaluated the incidence of injuries in HIFT, characterizing severity, location, and associated risk factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2021. HIFT practitioners were recruited through social media and answered an online questionnaire on training characteristics and injury history. RESULTS: A total of 606 subjects (264 male and 342 female) were included. The average age of the participants was 29.78 ± 7.14 years. The mean height was 169.60 ± 8.96 cm, and the mean body mass was 73.69 ± 13.11 kg. Overall, participants were involved in HIFT for an average of 25.36 ± 20.29 months. A total of 58.6% of participants took part in 5 to 6 training sessions per week, 31.7% practiced 5 to 6 h per week. 62.7% of the responders performed other physical activities in parallel, 98.2% performed warm-up before the training, and a formal cooldown was accomplished by 29.4% of participants. 6.8% of athletes followed individual worksheets. 45.9% of participants participated in competition. CONCLUSIONS: The overall rate of injuries was 3.51/1000 h. 59.2% of subjects experienced two or more injuries. The shoulder was involved in 21.3% of cases, lower back in 18.3%, and the knee in 13.4%. No difference was found in injury rate between males and females. Experienced athletes were more prone to injury compared to those who trained under 12 months. Approximately the half of injuries did not cause training interruption. No difference was found in injury rate between males and females. The purpose of the participant did not impact the injury rate, nor did the practice of warm-up and cooldown, the time of weekly training, the league and level of competition. Finally, the participation in other sports in parallel did not demonstrated association with the injury occurrence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The present study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee by Plataforma Brazil and follows the Resolution 466/2012/CNS/MS/CONEP.

Prevalence of sport specialisation and association with injury history in youth football.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of sport specialisation in youth football, and to investigate the associations of sport specialisation and volume of sport participation with injury history. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire. SETTING: New Zealand youth football teams. PARTICIPANTS: 414 youth football players aged 10-15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The level of specialisation, average weekly sport participation and free-play volume were recorded. 12-month injury history was captured and grouped by injury type. Associations between level of specialisation and demographic variables were analysed using chi square tests. Logistic regression was used to investigate associations between injury history, level of specialisation, and volume of participation. RESULTS: Participants were classified as high (43%), moderate (38%), or low (19%) specialised (n = 399 complete). High specialisation was more likely in boys, older participants, and those from large schools. Highly specialised participants were more likely to report a history of gradual onset injury than those who were low specialised (n = 340 with complete injury data). Odds of reporting a gradual onset injury also increased with greater weekly and annual sport participation volume. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of sport specialisation in youth football, and it is associated with increased incidence of gradual onset injury.

Incidence, burden, and pattern of injuries in Spanish male youth soccer players: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the incidence, burden, and pattern of injuries in Spanish male youth soccer players during a 9-month competitive season (from September to May-June). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: 314 young (10-19 years) soccer players. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence, burden, location, type, severity, mechanism, and circumstance of injuries, as well as potential differences by tactical position, month of the year, age group, and maturity status. RESULTS: A total of 146 time-loss injuries were sustained by 101 different players. This resulted in an overall injury incidence of 3.1 injuries per 1000 h, a training injury incidence of 1.8 injuries per 1000 h, and a match injury incidence of 11.2 injuries per 1000 h. The probability of injury over the season was 34%. Most of the injuries affected the lower extremity and were classified as muscle/tendon injuries, with hamstring muscle injuries representing the most burdensome diagnosis. The incidence of injuries increased with age and maturation, but a heightened risk of overuse injuries during periods around peak height velocity was also identified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a need for implementing specific injury prevention measures. Due to the high burden shown, these measures should mainly focus on reducing the number and severity of hamstring muscle injuries.

Risk Factors of Sports-Related Injury in School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Retrospective Questionnaire Survey.

Studies conducting quantitative surveys in school-aged children and adolescents help identify sports-related risk factors for acute and overuse injuries are scarce. This study aimed to quantify the risk factors for sports-related injury in school-aged children and adolescents by school categories. University students (n = 484) retrospectively recalled their sports experiences and related injuries in a questionnaire according to the following school categories: lower elementary school (LE), upper elementary school (UE), junior high school (JH), and high school (H). Both sports-related acute and overuse injuries were recorded. After adjusting various covariates, weekly hours in sports were identified as a significant risk factor in LE and UE. The interaction of weekly hours in sports and sports specialization was significant in LE and UE, suggesting that early specialization would be a risk factor in lower school categories. In JH and H, female sex, high-level competition, and injury experienced in a previous school category were significantly related to sports-related injuries. In conclusion, weekly hours in sports, high-level competitions, previous injury experience, and sex were confirmed as risk factors in specific school categories. Most identified risk factors are modifiable, suggesting that sports-related injuries can be prevented in school-aged children and adolescents.

Epidemiology of Overuse Injuries in US Secondary School Athletics From 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 Using the National Athletic Treatment, Injury and Outcomes Network Surveillance Program.

CONTEXT: With 8 million annual US high school student-athletes, the epidemiology of sport-related injuries has garnered significant interest. The most recent studies examining overuse injury rates in high school sports were based on data from 2012 to 2013 and, therefore, may not reflect current overuse injury rates in high school sports. OBJECTIVE: To (1) determine overuse time-loss (TL) and non-time-loss (NTL) injury rates among high school student-athletes using National Athletic Treatment, Injury and Outcomes Network Surveillance Program (NATION-SP) data collected from 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 and (2) compare overuse injury rates based on student-athlete sex defined by whether it was a boys' sport or a girls' sport, the sport itself, and the injury location. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. SETTING: Online injury surveillance from 211 high schools (345 individual years of high school data). PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Athletes who participated in secondary school-sponsored boys' or girls' sports. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Boys' and girls' overuse injury data from the NATION-SP during the 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 school years were analyzed. Overuse injuries were identified using a combination of the reported injury mechanism and diagnosis. Time-loss injuries resulted in restriction from participation beyond the day of injury; NTL injuries did not result in restriction from participation beyond the day of injury or involved no lost time due to the injury. Injury counts, rates, and rate ratios (IRRs) were reported with 95% CIs. RESULTS: The total overuse injury rate was 5.3/10 000 athlete-exposures (AEs; 95% CI = 5.1, 5.7), the NTL overuse injury rate was 3.4/10 000 AEs (95% CI = 3.1, 3.6), and the TL overuse injury rate was 2.0/10 000 AEs (95% CI = 1.8, 2.2). The overuse injury rate was greater in girls' sports compared with boys' sports (IRR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.7, 2.1). The highest rates of overuse injury were observed in girls' cross-country (19.2/10 000 AEs; 95% CI = 15.0, 24.2), girls' track and field (16.0/10 000 AEs; 95% CI = 13.5, 18.8), and girls' field hockey (15.1/10 000 AEs; 95% CI = 10.2, 21.6). Overuse injury rates were higher for the lower extremity than the upper extremity (IRR = 5.7; 95% CI = 4.9, 6.7) and for the lower extremity than the trunk and spine (IRR = 8.9; 95% CI = 7.3, 10.8). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the overuse injury risk, as well as prevention and intervention recommendations, is necessary and should be specifically targeted at cross-country, field hockey, and track and field athletes.

Women's wrist and elbow at work: analysis of acute injuries and cumulative trauma disorders to improve ergonomics in female-dominated activities.

The aim of this study is to analyse women's wrist and elbow acute work injuries together with cumulative trauma disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and epicondylitis. Five years records (2015-2019) on women's wrist/elbow acute work injuries and CTS/epicondilytis, from Italian National Compensation Authority, were collected and pooled all together as 'dis-ac' (disorders + acute) events. A statistical analysis was performed in comparing the different female-dominated work sectors. Results showed that hairdressing/laundry sector was associated with the highest risk for wrist acute work injuries and cleaning for elbow while manufacturing for CTS and epicondylitis. Hairdressing/laundry and manufacturing were associated with the highest risk for dis-ac events (hairdressing: wrist dis-ac OR: 4.89; CI 95% 4.22-5.67; elbow dis-ac OR: 3.70; CI 95% 2.99-4.58; manufacturing: wrist dis-ac OR: 3.39; CI 95% 3.13-3.66; elbow dis-ac OR: 2.45; CI 95% 2.20-2.73). The relationship between acute injuries and cumulative trauma disorders is discussed to preserve women's safety and health in ergonomics.Practitioner Summary: Women's wrist and elbow acute work injuries and cumulative trauma disorders (carpal tunnel syndrome and epicondylitis) were analysed and studied all together (dis-ac events) in female-dominated activities. Hairdressing and manufacturing work sectors were associated with the highest risk, showing the need to safeguard the health and safety of female workers.

Early Sport Specialization and Past Injury in Competitive Youth Rock Climbers.

INTRODUCTION: Sport specialization has been shown to have negative effects on athletes but has not been studied within rock climbing. This study seeks to evaluate the proportion and impact of specialization in pediatric climbers. METHODS: Climbers (ages 8-18 y) were recruited from throughout the United States to complete a 1-time survey regarding climbing experience, training patterns, and injury history. The main outcome of proportion of climbers suffering an injury was assessed within the last 12 mo and within their entire climbing experience (defined as "lifetime" injury). Early specialization was defined as exclusive participation in climbing, with training for >8 mo‧y-1, prior to age 12 y (late specialization if after age 12 y). RESULTS: Participants (n=111, 14±3 y [mean±SD], 69 females) were high-level climbers. Fifty-five percent of participants specialized in climbing, and 69% of those specialized early. Hand and ankle injuries occurred most commonly. Seventy-eight percent of late specialized climbers had a lifetime injury. Late specialized climbers were 1.6 times (95% CI: 1.1-2.3) more likely than early specialized climbers to have had a lifetime injury and 1.8 times (95% CI: 1.1-2.8) more likely to have had an injury in the last 12 mo. No difference in overuse injuries was found between specialization groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early specialization is common among youth climbers but was not associated with an increase in injuries. Late specialization was associated with a higher likelihood of having had a climbing injury in the last 12 mo and during an entire climbing career.

Injury incidence and prevalence in Finnish top-level football - one-season prospective cohort study.

OJECTIVE: To investigate the injury characteristics in Finnish male football players. DESIGN: One-season prospective epidemiological study. Data were collected via injury reports from the medical staff and directly from the players using the Olso Sports Trauma Research Center Health Questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS: The first team squads of Finnish football league (n = 12 teams, 236 players). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Injury incidence. RESULTS: A total of 541 injuries occurred during the exposure of 62 878 hours. Injury incidence per 1000 exposure hours was 8.6 (30.6 in matches and 3.4 in training). A player sustained on average 2.3 (median 2, range 0-13) injuries during the study. Thigh and ankle were the most commonly injured body parts for acute injuries and hip/groin were the most commonly injured body part for overuse injuries. The median absence time for all injuries was 12 (range 0-107) days, 12 (range 0-107) for acute, and 8 (range 0-61) for overuse injuries. Thigh injuries caused the greatest consequences in terms of absence from full participation (median 5 days, range 0-88). CONCLUSION: Lower limb muscle injuries were the most prevalent injuries in the study. Collecting data directly from the players enabled to report more injuries compared to what was reported only by the medical staff.

Injuries and Overuse Injuries in Show Jumping-A Retrospective Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study of Show Jumpers in Germany.

This retrospective cross-sectional epidemiological study deals with sport-specific injury patterns in show jumping. A total of 363 show jumpers of all levels (S) answered a retrospective questionnaire about injuries and overuse damages which occurred in the course of their careers. Demographic data and information on injuries in various body regions were collected. In addition to descriptive analysis, significance tests were performed. For better statistical comparability with other sports, exposure time was extrapolated with total career duration and weekly training hours, and injuries per 1000 jumping hours were calculated. The study included 251 (69%) women and 112 (31%) men, who were on average 26.9 ± 10.9 years old. The injury rate for the entire collective was 3.7 per 1000 h of exposure. The most frequently affected body region was the head (31%). Overuse complaints play a subordinate role and mainly affect the upper extremities (65%). The riders of the professional lower performance levels are less likely to injure themselves per 1000 h than riders of the higher performance levels. Riders who often or always wore a helmet suffered significantly fewer head injuries (p = 0.008) and had a significantly lower total injury duration than riders who did not wear a helmet (p = 0.006). Similarly, the study showed that riders who often or always wore a safety vest suffered significantly fewer spinal injuries (p = 0.017) and had significantly fewer injuries per 1000 riding hours (p = 0.031) than riders who did not wear a safety vest. Based on the present results, there should be an extension of the general helmet requirement and a requirement to wear safety vests in show jumping in general.

Factors associated with overuse injury in cyclists: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors associated with overuse injuries in cyclists. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Data sources: Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched. Reference checking and citation tracking of included articles were undertaken. Grey literature searches and a review of key publications by known experts in the industry were conducted. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Studies evaluating the association between specific measures of the bike, the cyclist's body and load characteristics, and overuse pain or injury in cycling. RESULTS: Of the 3596 studies yielded in the search, 18 studies were included in the review with only 3 of these studies deemed to have a low risk of bias. The best evidence synthesis showed moderate evidence of a relationship between load and symptoms, as well as moderate evidence of no relationship between cycling overuse injury or pain and many measures traditionally used in bike fitting. Conflicting evidence of a relationship exists between seat height and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Cycling is popular on a world scale for transport and exercise with cyclists experiencing a high prevalence of overuse pain and injury. Many theories exist as to the cause of these symptoms, however there are limited high quality studies of risk factors for overuse injuries. This review highlights that there is no strong evidence relating any measure of the bike, body or load to cycling overuse pain or injury.