Game Injury Research Articles

A prospective study of injuries in ncaa intercollegiate ice-hockey goaltenders

BackgroundWhile relatively well protected and padded, ice-hockey goaltenders are at risk for impact injuries.ObjectiveTo study incidence and mechanism of intercollegiate ice-hockey goaltender injuries.DesignAnalyzed seasons prospectively starting in 2000–01 through 2006–07.SettingAll...

Injury and safety in junior rugby union football

BackgroundLittle is known about the injury incidence and risk factors in junior rugby union football. In particular, the timing of the introduction of the tackle, the skill associated with the...

Injury and Illness in College Outdoor Education

Many colleges offer outdoor education courses such as rock climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking. Since these sports may be perceived as dangerous, we describe the prevalence of injuries and illnesses in a large, university-based outdoor education program. We also compare composite incident rates from this outdoor program to those of traditional college sports. Cohort of college students participating in either Cornell Outdoor Education (COE) or National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports and comparison of incident rates. COE data were prospectively collected in the field; and NCAA data were prospectively collected through the Association's Injury Surveillance System. By definition, a COE injury or illness required follow-up care, prescription medication, or limited course participation. Similarly, a NCAA injury limited further practice or play. Incident rates were calculated as injuries and illnesses per 1000 participant-days (COE) or injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (NCAA). Included COE courses during 2002-2007 totaled 74 005 participant-days. There were 111 injuries and illnesses, rate = 1.50/1000 participant-days (95% CI 1.24-1.81). The NCAA reported 32 646 899 athlete-exposures during 1988-2004 and 181 476 injuries, rate = 5.56/1000 athlete-exposures (95% CI 5.53-5.58). Compared to COE, the relative risk of injury in NCAA sports was 3.7 (95% CI 3.1-4.5) overall and 3.3 (95% CI 2.8-4.0) after excluding the high-contact sports of football, ice hockey, and wrestling. For COE, mountain biking had the highest incident rate (7.5/1000), which was significantly lower than game injury rates in NCAA football and soccer. The most common injuries for both NCAA and COE were soft-tissue injuries such as sprains and strains. Outdoor education at this university-sponsored program was at least as safe as traditional college sports. Overall, college students were less likely to be injured while participating in COE courses than while participating in NCAA sports, even after excluding high-contact sports from the comparison.

Injury epidemiology in a national football team of the Middle East

Many football epidemiological studies have been performed but only two of them have investigated injury risk in a national football team. In the present study, the senior male Qatar national football team was followed prospectively for two seasons. All injuries that were incurred during training and matches were recorded, together with match and training exposure time. Principal findings were (i) a higher injury incidence during matches than during training, (65.9 vs 4.3/1000 h, P<0.001), (ii) a high incidence of muscular strain during matches (23.2/1000 h) and (iii) a greater severity of injury in games than in regular training or camp situations (19.5 vs 8.4 vs 6.7 days, P<0.05). Despite the unique environmental, social and cultural setting in the Middle East, these findings are consistent with previous data from European football, suggesting that international guidelines on injury prevention and management may be applied in this region.

Common game injury scenarios in men's and women's lacrosse

Previous research has found that the location, type and mechanisms of injuries in lacrosse players vary by gender. The patterns and risk factors of injuries in lacrosse players are still not well known. The study population consists of lacrosse players who utilised the accident medical insurance provided to US Lacrosse members. Cluster analysis was used to explore the aetiology of lacrosse-related injuries. Between 2002 and 2006 there were 593 game injuries, 496 in men and 97 in women. There were six clusters of injuries in women and five clusters of injuries in men. Play scenarios resulting in injury differed by the position played. In all the five injury clusters in males, the primary injury mechanism was by contact, either with another player, a stick or a ball. In women, body-to-body and stick-to-body, and no contact were the most common injury mechanisms. In both genders, the majority of injuries occurred during legal play. These results provide a picture of high-risk situations that lead to injuries in male and female lacrosse players. Future efforts should be made to confirm these results through epidemiologic studies. Further research should also address the effectiveness of interventions that could reduce the risk of injury in these situations.

More younger people seek treatment for computer game injuries

More younger people seek treatment for computer game injuries

Tackle Characteristics and Injury in a Cross Section of Rugby Union Football

The tackle is the game event in rugby union most associated with injury. This study's main aims were to measure tackle characteristics from video using a qualitative protocol, to assess whether the characteristics differed by level of play, and to measure the associations between tackle characteristics and injury. A cohort study was undertaken. The cohort comprised male rugby players in the following levels: younger than 15 yr, 18 yr, and 20 yr, grade, and elite (Super 12 and Wallabies). All tackle events and technique characteristics were coded in 77 game halves using a standardized qualitative protocol. Game injuries and missed-game injuries were identified and correlated with tackle events. A total of 6618 tackle events, including 81 resulting in a game injury, were observed and coded in the 77 game halves fully analyzed (145 tackle events per hour). An increase in the proportion of active shoulder tackles was observed from younger than 15 yr (13%) to elite (31%). Younger players engaged in more passive tackles and tended to stay on their feet more than experienced players. Younger than 15 yr rugby players had a significantly lower risk of tackle game injury compared with elite players. No specific tackle technique was observed to be associated with a significantly increased risk of game injury. There was a greater risk of game injury associated with two or more tacklers involved in the tackle event, and the greatest risk was associated with simultaneous contact by tacklers, after adjusting for level of play. Tackle characteristics differed between levels of play. The number of tacklers and the sequence of tackler contact with the ball carrier require consideration from an injury prevention perspective.

Injuries to Kickers in American Football

Background: Very little information is available regarding the incidence, causative mechanisms, and expected duration of time lost after injuries to kickers (placekickers and punters) in American football. Hypothesis: Lower extremity musculotendinous injuries are the most common type of injury in American football kickers. The injuries related to punting differ from injuries related to placekicking. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiologic study. Methods: A retrospective review of all documented injuries to kickers in the National Football League over a 20-year period (1988-2007) was performed using the League’s injury surveillance database. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of kick or activity at the time of injury and the factors that affect return to play after injury. Results: There were 488 total injuries over the 20-year period: 72% involved the lower extremity, 9% involved the lumbosacral spine, and 7% involved the head. Muscle-tendon injuries (49%) were the most common, followed by ligamentous injuries (17%). There was a significantly higher risk of injury in games (17.7 per 1000) than during practice (1.91 per 1000). Most injuries (93%) did not require surgery, and the mean time to return to play was 15 days if no surgery was necessary. Kickers over 30 years of age took longer to return to play (mean, 21 days) than younger kickers (mean, 12 days) after nonsurgical injuries (P = .03). Mean return to play after injuries that required surgery was 121 days. Lumbosacral soft tissue injury, lateral ankle sprains, and shoulder injuries were more likely to occur in punters than placekickers. Conclusion: Kicking athletes face a low risk of injury in professional American football. Injuries most commonly involve the lower extremities. Training and injury prevention efforts should reflect that punting is associated with different injuries than placekicking, and that older kickers take longer to recuperate than younger kickers after certain injuries.

A Prospective Study of Injuries in NCAA Intercollegiate Ice-Hockey Goaltenders

Abstract While relatively well protected and padded, ice-hockey goaltenders are at risk for impact injuries. There is little information regarding the incidence and mechanism of intercollegiate ice-hockey goaltender injuries. We prospectively studied all NCAA ice-hockey goaltender injuries through the Injury Surveillance System. We analyzed the seasons prospectively starting in 2000–2001 and through 2006–2007. Injury rates were calculated per 1000 player games. The overall rate of NCAA men’s ice-hockey goaltender injuries was 0.5/1000 player games. Fifty-six men’s ice-hockey goaltender injuries resulted in further time loss from practices or games. Thirteen injuries resulted in time loss of 1 to 2 days, 18 resulted in time loss of 3–5 days, 10 injuries resulted in time loss of 6–9 days, and 10 injuries resulted in 10 or more days of time loss from competition. The overall rate of NCAA women’s ice-hockey goaltender injuries was 0.72/1000 player games. The most common injuries were nine knee ligament injuries, five on-ice concussions, and four shoulder injuries. Overall, women sustained 23 time-loss game injuries. Five of these resulted in further loss of on-ice practice/game times of 1 day, eight resulted in 3–5 days of time loss, two resulted in 6–9 days of time loss, and seven injuries resulted in 10 or more days of time loss. Further understanding of the etiology of these on-ice goaltender-player contact injuries should assist in the development of possible interventions to reduce the incidence of NCAA ice-hockey goaltender injuries. The current Injury Surveillance System has shortcomings and does not provide us with enough information to evaluate the effectiveness of goalie equipment and the impact that possible rule changes would have on the game. This paper is the first step in analyzing all participants in hockey with anticipation for future rule and equipment optimization and subsequent injury reduction.

Ice Hockey Injuries in a Japanese Elite Team: A 3-Year Prospective Study

As the Asian Ice Hockey League gradually expands and becomes more competitive, ice hockey-related injuries may increase. However, no reports have been published on ice hockey injuries in Japan, including the method of injury and the daily supervision of the players during the regular season. To prospectively study the incidence, types, and mechanisms of ice hockey injuries in an elite Japanese ice hockey team. Prospective observational cohort study design. An elite ice hockey team, Tokyo, Japan. Ninety-four players during the 2002-2005 seasons. Data were collected for 3 consecutive seasons using an injury reporting form. The overall game injury rate was 74.3 per 1000 player-game hours and 11.7 per 1000 player-game hours for injuries resulting in any time loss. The overall practice injury rates were 11.2 per 1000 player-practice hours and 1.1 per 1000 player-practice hours for injuries resulting in any time loss. Forwards had the highest rate of injury, followed by defensemen and then goalkeepers. Contusions were the most common injury, followed by strains, lacerations, and sprains. Most injuries among Japanese ice hockey players occurred during games. Game or play intensity may influence the injury rate during games.

Risk Factors for Injury Among High School Football Players

Football is the most popular interscholastic high school sport in the United States. Prior research has described a higher rate of injury among high school football players than in other sports, but few studies have examined potential predictors while controlling for other risk factors. Using a 2-stage cluster sampling technique, we conducted a prospective cohort study from 1996 to 1999 among varsity athletes from 12 sports in 100 North Carolina high schools. A total of 3323 football players participated. Injury exposure and risk factor data were collected by trained school personnel. Incidence rates, rate ratios, and odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using Poisson and logistic regression. There were 1064 injured athletes and 1238 injuries; 106 injuries resulted in greater than 3 weeks lost from participation. The overall incidence rate was 3.54 per 1000 athlete-exposures (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.31-3.78). The rate of game injury was 9 times that of practice injury (OR = 9.2; 95% CI = 6.6-11). Athletes with a prior injury had twice the injury rate of those without (1.9; 1.5-2.4). Among those injured, having a coach with more experience, qualifications, and training was associated with half the odds of severe injury (0.49; 0.27-0.92). Prior injury, additional years of playing experience, and older age were predictors of injury incidence after controlling for multiple risk factors. A high level of coaching skills did not reduce the injury rate, but was protective against severe injury.

Does Padded Headgear Prevent Head Injury in Rugby Union Football?

Concussion is a serious problem in many contact sports, including rugby union football. The study's primary aim was to measure the efficacy of padded headgear in reducing the rates of head injury or concussion. A cluster randomized controlled trial with three arms was conducted with rugby union football teams as the unit of randomization. Teams consisted of males participating in under 13-, 15-, 18-, and 20-yr age group competitions. The interventions were "standard" and "modified" padded headgear. Headgear wearing and injury were measured for each study team at each game over two seasons. Eighty-two teams participated in year 1 and 87 in year 2. A total of 1493 participants (10,040 player hours) were in the control group, 1128 participants (8170 player hours) were assigned to the standard headgear group, and 1474 participants (10,650 player hours) were assigned to the modified headgear group. The compliance rates were low in all groups, but 46% of participants wore standard headgear. An intention-to-treat analysis showed no differences in the rates of head injury or concussion between controls and headgear arms. Incidence rate ratios for standard headgear wearers referenced to controls were 0.95 and 1.02 for game and missed game injuries. Analyses of injury rates based on observed wearing patterns also showed no significant differences. Incidence rate ratios for standard headgear wearers referenced to nonwearers were 1.11 and 1.10 for game and missed game injuries. Padded headgear does not reduce the rate of head injury or concussion. The low compliance rates are a limitation. Although individuals may choose to wear padded headgear, the routine or mandatory use of protective headgear cannot be recommended.

Upper Extremity Injuries in the National Football League

Background Very little information is available regarding the incidence, causative mechanisms, and expected duration of time lost following upper extremity injuries in professional American football players. Hypotheses (1) Upper extremity injuries in professional American football players are a common cause of missed time from practice and game participation. (2) The effect of upper extremity injuries differs as a function of the site involved and the athlete's position. Study Design Descriptive epidemiologic study. Methods A retrospective review of all documented injuries to the elbow, forearm, and wrist sustained by all players in the National Football League over a 10-year period (1996–2005) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. An injury was considered significant if it resulted in premature cessation of (or absence from) at least 1 practice, game, or training event. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of injury, athlete position, and activity at the time of injury. Results There were 859 total injuries over the 10-year period: 58% involved the elbow, 30% involved the wrist, and 12% involved the forearm. Ligamentous injuries were the most common diagnosis in the elbow and wrist, with wrist sprains the most common of all diagnoses. Fractures were the most common injury occurring in the forearm. For all 3 anatomic locations, game injuries were much more common than practice injuries by a factor of 2.8 to 1. Forearm injuries led to a mean of 42 days lost, wrist injuries led to a mean of 27 days lost, and elbow injuries led to an average of 22 days lost. Fractures and dislocations led to the greatest amount of time lost (47 days and 53 days, respectively). Tackling was the activity most often (24%) implicated as causing injuries to the elbow, forearm, and wrist. Offensive and defensive linemen were most commonly injured. Elbow injuries were the most common at these positions, constituting approximately 75% of all injuries. Defensive backs sustained the greatest number of forearm injuries, approximately double the total number at any other position. Conclusion Upper extremity trauma is a significant issue for professional football players. In particular, the high incidence rates of elbow injuries in linemen and forearm injuries in defensive backs warrant further scrutiny.

Energy expenditure in ball games for wheelchair users

Wheelchair sports have become popular in Germany. This is important because of the difficulty experienced by wheelchair-dependent people in maintaining cardiovascular health and fitness by daily activities. Increasing energy expenditure (EE; kcal h(-1)) is one of the most effective ways of decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the EE of individuals with spinal cord injury in ball games for wheelchair-dependent persons. Fourteen tennis players (WT), 10 basketball players (WB) and 12 rugby players (WR) completed a basal metabolism evaluation and a training test to measure respiratory parameters. In the basal metabolism test EE in WT was 66.8+/-12.8 kcal h(-1), in WB 62.7+/-15.0 kcal h(-1) and in WR 63.5+/-12.9 kcal h(-1). During training EE in WT was 325.8+/-73.0 kcal h(-1), in WB 374.8+/-127.1 kcal h(-1) and in WR 248.5+/-69.4 kcal h(-1). The average EE of the whole group was: 316.4+/-89.6 kcal h(-1) with a corresponding heart rate of 118.5+/-23.1 b.p.m. and a lactate concentration of 2.09+/-0.7 mmol l(-1). Statistical analysis showed significantly lower values of EE, heart rate and oxygen uptake for the WR group in comparison to the other groups. The results indicate that the additional leisure time EE of persons participating in WB and WT is sufficient to maintain fitness. This level of EE is comparable to the recommendations of the ACSM for able-bodied persons, and therefore might be sufficient to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Lacrosse legends of the first Americans

An ancient Native American sport, lacrosse was originally played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, and develop strong, virile men. In Lacrosse Legends of the First Americans, Thomas Vennum draws on centuries of oral tradition to collect thirteen legends from five tribes-the Cherokee, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Seneca, Ojibwa, and Menominee. Reflecting the game's origins and early history, these myths provide a glimpse into Native American life and the role of the Creator's in tribal culture. From the Great Game in which the Birds defeated the Quadrupeds to high-stakes contests after which the losers literally lost their heads, these stories reveal the fascinating spiritual world of the first lacrosse players as well as the violent reality of the original sport. Lacrosse enthusiasts will learn about game equipment, ritual preparations, dress, and style of play, from stick handling to scoring. They will discover how the coach-a medicine man-conjured potions to prevent game injuries or make the opponent's leg cramp as well as how early craftsmen identified the perfect tree-marked by a lightning strike-from which to carve a lacrosse stick. The game is no longer played by large numbers of men on mile-long fields, and plastic, titanium, and nylon have replaced hickory and ash, leather, and catgut. As lacrosse continues to evolve, this collection will help us remember and understand its rich and complex history.

Upper Extremity Injuries in the National Football League

Background Very little has been published regarding the incidence of and duration of time lost after hand injuries in professional American football players. Hypotheses (1) Hand, first ray, and finger injuries in professional American football players represent a common cause of missed time from practice and game participation. (2) The effect of upper extremity injuries differs as a function of the anatomic site involved, injury type, and athlete's position. Study Design Descriptive epidemiologic study. Methods A retrospective review of all documented injuries to the hand, first ray, and fingers sustained by American football players in the National Football League over a 10-year period (1996–2005) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of injury, athlete position, and activity at the time of injury. Results A total of 1385 injuries occurred to the hand, first ray, and fingers over the 10 seasons studied. Of these injuries, 48% involved the fingers, 30% involved the first ray, and 22% involved the hand, with game injuries more common than practice injuries at each location. Metacarpal fractures and proximal interphalangeal joint dislocations were the 2 most common injuries. Offensive and defensive linemen were the most likely to sustain a hand injury; 80% of hand injuries were metacarpal fractures. The most common injuries to the first ray were fractures (48%) and sprains (36%), which occurred most often in athletes playing a defensive secondary position. Finger injuries were most commonly dislocations at the level of the proximal interphalangeal joint, typically involving the ulnar 2 digits. Finger injuries were most common in wide receivers and defensive secondary players. The act of tackling produced the most injuries (28%). Conclusion Upper extremity trauma, especially injury to the hand, first ray, and fingers, is a significant source of morbidity for professional football players. The results of this study may be used to implement preventive measures to help minimize these injuries.

Concussion Rates and Gender in NCAA Competitions.

PURPOSE: To compare the rate of concussions between genders in selected NCAA sports competitions METHODS: The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance System (ISS) conducts ongoing annual surveillance of sport injuries using a sample of all NCAA member schools. Competition data from men's (M) and women's (W) soccer and M and W basketball (similar sports, similar rules, similar equipment -16 years) and M and W ice hockey (similar sport, similar equipment, different rules - 4 years) were analyzed to assess risk of concussion. Concussion was one of thirty distinct choices to report for injury type. To be reported, it must have occurred during a competition, required medical treatment and restricted the athlete's participation for 1 or more days. Exposures were defined as the number of athletes with playing time in each game and thus exposed to a risk of injury. Injury rates (IR) per 1,000 athlete-exposure (AE) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and compared between genders. Significance was defined as non-overlapping CIs or p< 0.05. Results. Soccer (W - IR 1.42 concussion /1000 AE, CI 1.29-1.55, M - IR 1.08 / 1000 AE, CI 0.98-1.19) and basketball (W - IR 0.50 concussion/1000 AE, CI 0.43-0.56, M - IR 0.32/1000 AE, CI 0.27-0.37) showed significantly higher rates of game concussions for W participants. W ice hockey players showed similar rates (2.72 concussions/1000 AE, CI 2.02-3.43) to their male counterparts (2.29 concussions/1000 AE, CI 1.94-2.64) despite rules in the women's game that prohibit body checking. However, concussions accounted for 22% of W ice hockey game injuries over the sample period compared to13% for M. CONCLUSION: After evaluating multiple years of competition concussion data in selected sports, collegiate women athletes may be at greater risk for concussion than their male counterparts. This finding was apparent in sports where rules and equipment were similar (soccer, basketball) as well as in ice hockey where it would be hypothesized that women would have smaller concussion rates because of rules prohibiting body checking. While definitive definitions and assessment techniques for concussions have changed over the sample period, the consistent higher concussion rates among women in each of the sports analyzed justifies further research.

An Evaluation of Select Rule and Policy Changes on Injury Rates in 3 NCAA Sports

Sports rule/policy changes designed to reduce the incidence of injuries have the potential to have a sizeable effect, reach a large population, with little to no cost. PURPOSE: To investigate the effectiveness of rule/policy changes on injury rates in 3 collegiate sports. METHODS: The National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System (ISS) conducts ongoing, annual surveillance of injuries using a sample of all member schools. Data from 16 academic years were analyzed to assess the effect of rule/policy changes on incident injury rates. Injuries were defined as: 1) occurring from sport participation, 2) required medical treatment, and 3) restricted the athlete's participation for 1 or more days. An exposure was defined as 1 athlete participating in 1 practice/game where there was a risk of injury. 3 specific sport rule/policy changes were evaluated: 1) Field hockey - 1996-1997 offsides/corner shot rule, 2) Baseball - 1999-2000 bat design rule, and 3) Football - 1997-1998 Spring practice contact/equipment policy. Injury rates (IR) per 1000 athlete-exposure (AE) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and compared for two time periods: pre and post rule/policy change. Significance was defined as non-overlapping CIs or p< 0.05. RESULTS: For Field Hockey, the overall game injury rate significantly declined from pre (IR 8.65, CI 8.03-9.28) to post (IR 6.91, CI 6.29-7.53); a 35.1% reduction in the absolute number of injuries. For baseball, the IRs from batted balls did not significantly change for all players (pre-IR = 0.53, CI 0.45-0.61; post-IR = 0.60, CI 0.51-0.69) or for pitchers only (pre-IR = 0.15, CI 0.11-0.20; post-IR =0.18, CI 0.13-0.23); a slight increase (5.5% all players, 8.3% pitchers) in the absolute number of batted ball injuries. For Spring football practice, there was a small, but significant (p<0.01), reduction in overall injury rates from pre (IR 9.87, CI 9.61-10.13) to post (IR 9.37, CI 9.12-9.62); a 6.0% reduction in the absolute number of injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Simple changes in sport rules and/or policies may be an effective and wide-reaching intervention to prevent sports injuries, however, changes may not always result in the desired effect. Therefore it is critical to evaluate rule and policy changes in sports to assess both wanted and potentially unwanted consequences.

A Diagnosis Study for limiting the most Important Athletic Injuries of Knee and Ankle Joints for Students of Physical Education College

This study aimed at knowing the most important athletic injuries of knee and ankle joints for students of Physical Education College. The sample of study included the senior students ,Their ages were (21-24) years old. The researchers used the questionnaire for getting the information about the cases of injuries and their types by the clinical test and X-ray photograph to know the type of injury. The researchers recorded total injuries and their types as well as the treatment of each injury at the end of study. The researchers used the percentage as a statistical mean for getting the results of study. Conclusions of study: 1. The total injuries for knee joint were less than ankle joint. 2. The to tal percentage of injuries in the team games were more than the individual games. 3. The percentage of the ankle ligaments injuries were more than the percentage of the knee joint injuries.

Collegiate rugby union injury patterns in New England: a prospective cohort study

Objective: To establish injury profile of collegiate rugby union in the USA Design/setting: 31 men’s and 38 women’s collegiate rugby union teams prospectively recorded injuries during games and practice during...