Sports injuries in team handball. A one-year prospective study of sixteen men's senior teams of a superior nonprofessional level

Am J Sports Med. 1998 Sep-Oct;26(5):681-7. doi: 10.1177/03635465980260051401.

Abstract

One hundred eighty-six players of 16 teams in 2 male team handball senior divisions were observed prospectively for 1 season to study the injury incidence in relation to exposure in games and practices. Ninety-one injuries were recorded. Injury incidence was evaluated at 2.5 injuries per 1000 player-hours, with a significantly higher incidence in game injuries (14.3 injuries per 1000 game-hours) compared with practice injuries (0.6 injuries per 1000 practice-hours). Practice injury incidence was higher in the lower performance level group, and game injury incidence was higher in the high-level group. The upper extremity was involved in 37% of the injuries, and the lower extremity in 54%. The knee was the most commonly injured joint, followed by the finger, ankle, and shoulder. Knee injuries were the most severe injuries, and they were more frequent in high-level players. There was an increase in the severity of injury with respect to performance level. The injury mechanism revealed a high number of offensive injuries, one-third of them occurring during a counterattack. The injury pattern showed certain variations with respect to player position and performance level. Prophylactic equipment was used by a majority of players at the higher performance level.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Ankle Injuries / epidemiology
  • Arm Injuries / epidemiology
  • Athletic Injuries / epidemiology*
  • Finger Injuries / epidemiology
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Knee Injuries / epidemiology
  • Leg Injuries / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Protective Devices / statistics & numerical data
  • Shoulder Injuries
  • Sports / education
  • Sports Equipment / statistics & numerical data