Aim: The last descriptive epidemiological study of netball injuries in New Zealand was published in 1993 (data from 1988). The current study examines the changes in the injury profile of hospitalised netball cases since then.
Method: Records of public hospital inpatients discharged in the period 2000-2005 were searched for netball injury cases using a novel search procedure. Data were analysed by demographics, body region, nature/severity of injury, and medical procedure.
Results: 1126 cases were identified; 81% were female. The average age was 29 years (5-82 years); 26% of cases were Maori. The highest incidence rate was 325 per 100,000 participants 35-49 years. The population injury rate was 5.0 per 100,000. Forearm fractures predominated in the 0-14 year age-group and Achilles tendon injury in the 15+ age-groups. Six cases (0.5%) sustained a "serious" injury (ICISS score < or = 0.941), >50% of cases had an injury that would require a "lay-off" period of 3-6 months.
Conclusion: The differences highlighted in this study, between hospitalised netball injury in the late 1980s and the present, suggest that (a) the average age of hospitalised netball injury cases may be increasing, (b) forearm fractures in young netball players are a cause for concern, (c) surgical repair of Achilles tendon injuries appears to have increased while knee ligament injuries requiring hospitalisation/surgical repair appear to have decreased, and (d) the indoor version of the game and male players may be important targets for injury prevention.