Registration of cruciate ligament injuries in Norwegian top level team handball. A prospective study covering two seasons

Scand J Med Sci Sports. 1997 Oct;7(5):289-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.1997.tb00155.x.

Abstract

All cruciate ligament injuries in the three upper divisions for men and women (3392 players) in Norwegian team handball in the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons were registered. A questionnaire was mailed to all injured players. Ninety-three cruciate ligament injuries were registered; 87 in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and six in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Among women, 1.8% were injured compared with 1.0% of the men. In the first division, the risk of being injured was considerably higher: 4.5% of the players had a cruciate ligament injury. There were 0.97 cruciate ligament injuries per 100 playing hours in the three divisions taken together. Seventy-five per cent of the injuries occurred during games. Ninety-five per cent involved no contact between players. Activities in which the friction between shoe and floor was significant caused 55% of the injuries. Injuries caused by running into another player contributed to only 5% of the injuries. No significant differences were observed in injury incidence during matches between different types of floors (parquet, Pulastic and other synthetic surfaces.)

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries*
  • Athletic Injuries / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Knee Injuries / epidemiology*
  • Male
  • Posterior Cruciate Ligament / injuries*
  • Sweden / epidemiology