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ABSTRACT: We have limited insight into how injuries occur in professional ski racing. The aim of this study was to describe the injury situations in World Cup alpine skiing. Injuries reported through the International Ski Federation Injury Surveillance System for three consecutive World Cup seasons (2006-2009) were obtained on video. In total, 69 injuries and 124 runs of matched controls were analysed by five experts to evaluate the skiing situation, skier behavior, as well as piste-related factors. A chi-square test (95% CI, P ≤ 0.05) was used to examine whether there was a difference between course sections regarding where the injury situation occurred. The skier was most frequently turning (n = 55) or landing from a jump (n = 13) at the time of injury. Most of the injuries to the head and upper body (96%) resulted from crashes, while the majority of knee injuries (83%) occurred while the skier was still skiing. Gate contact contributed to 30% of the injuries, while 9% occurred at contact with safety nets/material. Almost half of the injuries (46%) occurred in the final fourth of the course. A particular concern was the high contribution of inappropriate gate contact and the high-energy impacts to the body when crashing.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 01/2013; · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to monitor injury incidence and pattern in Norwegian male professional football over six consecutive seasons and compare the risk of injury between the preseason and competitive season. All time loss injuries were recorded by the medical staff of each club. In total, 2365 injuries were recorded. The incidence of acute injuries was 15.9/1000 match hours [95% confidence interval (CI): 14.9-16.8], 1.9/1000 training hours (95% CI: 1.7-2.0), and 1.4 (95% CI: 1.3-1.5) overuse injuries/1000 h. A linear regression model found an annual increase of 1.06 acute match injuries/1000 h (95% CI: 0.40-1.73), corresponding to a total increase of 49% during the 6-year study period. When accounting for interteam variation and clustering effects using a general estimating equation model, the increase in injury incidence was 0.92 (95% CI: -0.11-1.95, P = 0.083). No difference in the risk of acute match injuries (rate ratio (RR): 0.86, 95% CI: 0.73-1.01), acute training injuries (RR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.99-1.36), or overuse injuries (RR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.89-1.21) was observed between the preseason and competitive season. In conclusion, the overall risk of acute match injuries in Norwegian male professional football increased by 49% during the study period, although this increase was not fully consistent across teams. We detected no change in the risk of training and overuse injuries or any difference between the preseason and competitive season.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 05/2012; · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Methodological differences in epidemiologic studies have led to significant discrepancies in injury incidences reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate text messaging as a new method for injury registration in elite female football players and to compare this method with routine medical staff registration. Twelve teams comprising 228 players prospectively recorded injuries and exposure through one competitive football season. Players reported individually by answering three text messages once a week. A designated member of the medical staff conducted concurrent registrations of injuries and exposure. Injuries and exposure were compared between medical staff registrations from nine teams and their 159 affiliated players. During the football season, a total of 232 time-loss injuries were recorded. Of these, 62% were captured through individual registration only, 10% by the medical staff only, and 28% were reported through both methods. The incidence of training injuries was 3.7 per 1000 player hours when calculated from individual registration vs 2.2 from medical staff registration [rate ratio (RR): 1.7, 1.2-2.4]. For match injuries, the corresponding incidences were 18.6 vs 5.4 (RR: 3.4, 2.4-4.9), respectively. There was moderate agreement for severity classifications in injury cases reported by both methods (kappa correlation coefficient: 0.48, confidence interval: 0.30-0.66).
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 04/2012; · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: There is little information available on injuries to World Cup skiers and snowboarders. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the injury risk to World Cup athletes in alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, Nordic combined and cross country skiing. We performed retrospective interviews with the International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup athletes from selected nations during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 winter seasons and recorded all acute injuries occurring during the seasons. We interviewed 2121 athletes and recorded 705 injuries. There were 520 (72%) time-loss injuries and 196 (28%) severe injuries (absence >28 days). In freestyle skiing, alpine skiing and snowboarding, there were 27.6, 29.8 and 37.8 time-loss and 14.4, 11.3 and 13.8 severe injuries per 100 athletes per season, respectively. In Nordic combined, ski jumping and cross country skiing, there were 15.8, 13.6 and 6.3 time-loss and 3.3, 5.6 and 0.7 severe injuries per 100 athletes per season, respectively. In conclusion about 1/3 of the World Cup alpine, freestyle and snowboard athletes sustain a time-loss injury each season, while the risk is low in the Nordic disciplines. A particular concern was the high proportion of severe injuries observed among alpine, freestyle and snowboard athletes, which is in contrast to most other sports.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 02/2012; 22(1):58-66. · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Clinical experience indicates that a substantial number of handball players may suffer from shoulder pain, but they continue to play despite having shoulder pain problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and consequences of shoulder pain problems among Norwegian female elite handball players. In the preseason of the 2007-2008 season, 179 players from all 12 teams of the Norwegian elite league went through the following tests: internal and external shoulder range of motion, apprehension, relocation test, and shooting velocity. All players completed the Fahlström questionnaire and, for players with current pain, the Western Ontario shoulder instability index questionnaire. Sixty-five (36%) players reported shoulder pain on the test day, and 40 (22%) players reported previous shoulder pain. Two thirds of the players with pain reported a gradual onset. For players with current or previous pain, 22 (36%) and 14 (36%) had missed match play, and 43 (68%) and 28 (76%) reported changing their training habits. A positive apprehension and relocation test was found among 51 (29%) of the players. In conclusion, a high proportion of female elite handball players experience shoulder pain and problems and have an unstable shoulder.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 11/2011; · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This prospective cohort study was conducted to identify the risk factors for acute knee injuries among male football players. A total of 508 players representing 31 amateur teams were tested during the 2004 preseason for potential risk factors for knee injury through a questionnaire on previous injury, Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and a clinical examination. Generalized estimating equations were used in univariate analyses to identify candidate risk factors, and factors with a P-value <0.10 were then examined in a multivariate model. During the football season, 61 acute knee injuries, affecting 57 legs (53 players), were registered. Univariate analyses revealed the KOOS subscores "Pain" and "Function in daily living" (OR for a 10-point difference in score: 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.55 and 1.35, 95% CI 0.98-1.85, respectively), any findings at clinical examination (OR: 2.62, 95% CI 1.03-6.68), flexion contraction in range of motion testing (OR: 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-1.00) and varus stress tests in full extension (OR: 8.50, 95% CI 1.85-39.0) and 30° flexion (OR: 5.69, 95% CI 1.73-18.8) as candidate factors. However, in a multivariate analysis, none of these factors were associated with an increased injury risk.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 10/2011; 21(5):645-52. · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To report outcomes after sclerosing, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and autologous blood injection therapies as a treatment for tendinopathy.
We searched Pubmed for clinical trials on sclerosing, PRP and autologous blood injections for tendinopathy. We scored the quality of the studies using a modified Coleman Methodological Score (CMS) with 9 criteria, which results in a final score between 0 and 90.
We included 14 studies involving 328 tendons on sclerosing (mean CMS: 52; range 31-77), 6 studies involving 143 tendons on PRP (CMS: 57; 43-73) and 5 studies involving 160 tendons on autologous blood injections (CMS: 58, 50-68). Across treatments, the results appear promising, but as reflected by the low methodology scores, the majority of studies are non-randomized, retrospective, with small sample size or of short duration. Two of three RTCs on sclerosing injections reported better outcomes in the treatment group, while two RCTs on PRP injections show conflicting results. The only available RTC on autologous blood injections has only 8 weeks follow-up.
There is a need for large-scale RTCs with appropriate follow-up and study size to determine the efficacy of sclerosing, platelet-rich plasma and autologous blood injection therapies as a treatment for tendinopathy.
Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions 06/2011; 11(2):174-84. · 2.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background There are no recent data regarding injury risk among elite athletes in the Nordic skiing disciplines and Telemark skiing. Objective To describe the injury rate in World Cup (WC) ski jumping, cross-country and Telemark skiing. Design/Setting Athletes from selected WC teams (Continental Cup for ski jumping women) were interviewed towards the end of two consecutive winter seasons regarding acute injuries sustained during the competitive seasons. A methodological study has shown retrospective interviews to give the most complete picture for WC athletes. Ski jumpers were also asked if they had had a serious knee injury (absence >28 days) during the last four seasons. Exposure data were extracted from the official database of the International Ski Federation as the number of jumps, kilometres and runs performed and used to calculate the incidence for acute injuries in WC competitions. Results Among 973 athletes, 50 acute injuries were reported in WC competitions (23 time-loss injuries). In ski jumping there were 0.6 (95% CI 0 to 1.4) and 0.4 (0-1.2) time-loss injuries per 1000 jumps in males and females, respectively. In cross-country skiing there were 0.2 (0-0.3) and 0.1 (0-0.2) injuries per 1000 km skied and in Telemark skiing 3.0 (0.8-5.1) and 5.5 (1.4-9.6) injuries per 1000 runs for males and females, respectively. In ski jumping, 3.9% of the female and 2.0% of the male athletes had sustained a severe knee injury during the previous 4 years, most of these were during ski jumping activity. Conclusion There are few injuries and a low injury risk in the Nordic disciplines. Telemark skiing also has a low incidence, comparable to slalom which has the lowest risk among the alpine skiing disciplines. Although the injury incidence is low in ski jumping, we found that severe knee injuries occur at about the same frequency as in team handball and football.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):310. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background We have limited insight into the mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in alpine skiing, particularly among professional ski racers. Objective To describe the mechanisms of ACL injury in World Cup alpine skiing. Design Descriptive video analysis. Setting World Cup alpine skiing. Methods 20 cases of ACL injuries reported through the International Ski Federation Injury Surveillance System for three consecutive World Cup seasons (2006-2009) were obtained on video. Seven international experts performed visual analyses of each case to describe the injury mechanisms in detail (skiing situation, skier behaviour, biomechanical characteristics). Results Three main categories of injury mechanisms were identified: the slip-catch, landing back-weighted and the dynamic snowplow. The slip-catch mechanism accounted for half of the cases (n=10), and all these injuries occurred during turning, without or before falling. The skier lost pressure on the outer ski, and while extending the outer knee to regain grip, the inside edge of the outer ski abruptly caught in the snow, forcing the knee into internal rotation and valgus. The same loading pattern was observed for the dynamic snowplow (n=3). The landing back-weighted category included cases (n=4) where the skier was out of balance backwards in-flight after a jump and landed on the ski tails with nearly extended knees. The suggested loading mechanism was a combination of tibiofemoral compression, boot induced anterior drawer and quadriceps anterior drawer. Conclusion A consistent pattern was observed where the main mechanism of ACL injury in World Cup alpine skiing appeared to be a slip-catch situation where the outer ski suddenly catches the inside edge, abruptly forcing the outer knee into internal rotation and valgus. A similar loading pattern was observed for the dynamic snowplow. Injury prevention efforts should focus on the slip-catch mechanism and the dynamic snowplow.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):326-7. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background We have identified that a slip-catch situation is the main mechanism for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in World Cup alpine skiing by simple visual inspection of injury videos. This occurs when the skier loses pressure on the outer ski during turning, and while extending the outer knee to regain grip, the inside edge of the outer ski catches abruptly, forcing the knee into valgus and internal rotation. To develop injury prevention methods based on this mechanism, a more precise description is needed. Objective To describe the detailed joint kinematics in a slip-catch situation using a model-based image-matching (MBIM) technique. Design Case study. Setting Men's World Cup alpine skiing. Methods Video of a slip-catch injury situation in slalom captured with two nearly perpendicular camera views was analyzed using the MBIM method to obtain the time course of knee and hip joint kinematics. Results Knee valgus and internal rotation angle increased by 13° and 13°, respectively, in the last 60 ms before the time of ACL rupture, which was estimated to occur 100 ms after the catching the edge. Knee flexion angle increased by 32° in the last 20 ms from 22° at snow contact to a final position. Hip flexion and adduction angle increased by 18° and 13°, respectively, in the last 20 ms and the hip stayed at approximately 30° of internal rotation in the last 60 ms. Conclusion Abrupt compression, valgus and internal rotation loading seems to be the main mechanism of slip-catch injury situations in ACL injuries in World Cup alpine skiing. The knee loading pattern described from the previous simple visual inspection study matched well with the more detailed analysis using the MBIM technique. Prevention efforts should focus on avoiding valgus and internal rotation loading on the knee.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):327. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background Ankle sprain is among the most frequent sports injuries and a significant contributor to time lost from sports participation. The injury mechanism is traditionally described as an inversion trauma, but a detailed description including joint kinetics is lacking. Objective To provide an accurate description of an ankle sprain. Design Case study. Setting Sidestep cutting in 240 Hz motion analysis lab. Patient Elite female team handball player (1.73 m, 63.7 kg, 22 years). Accidental grade 1 ankle sprain confirmed by orthopaedic surgeon. Assessment and outcome Ankle kinetics and kinematics and ground reaction forces were compared between two normal trials and the injury trial. Results In the injury trial we observed a sudden increase in ankle inversion (15° vs 4.9° and 4.8°) and ankle internal rotation (6.9° vs -1.2° and -3.6°) the first 50 ms. The injury trial centre of pressure had an increased lateral excursion after 50 ms (8.4 cm vs 3.3 and 3.0 cm). From 80 ms there was an increasing ankle inversion moment, reaching a peak of 72 Nm at 138 ms. At this time the ankle inversion angle had reached 33.1°, the ankle internal rotation angle was 53.7° and the ankle dorsiflexion was 26.5°. In the same period there appeared to be an attempted unloading of the foot, with a dorsiflexion of the ankle and reduced ground reaction force. The control trials displayed mainly eversion moment of the ankle throughout the stance phase, and joint angular deflections less than 6°. Conclusion This study provides the most accurate and detailed description of ankle sprain dynamics to date. The injury involved inversion and internal rotation combined with an unloading of the foot that was initiated after approx 80 ms. The inversion moment likely caused the injury in the time period between 120 and 150 ms.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):329. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background Injury registration is a necessary first step of injury prevention research in sports. However, inconsistencies in injury definitions and recording methods may have contributed to discrepancies in injury rates reported. Previous studies have traditionally been based on injury reporting by team medical staff. Objective To evaluate a novel methodology employing text messaging (SMS) by players to record injuries, comparing it to routine injury registration by team medical staff. Design Prospective study. Methods All teams in the Norwegian elite female football league (N=12, 205 players) reported injuries and exposure in training and matches throughout the 2009 football season (April-November). For the individual registration, we used a new SMS tracking system; all players received three messages once weekly with questions on exposure and injuries. Players reporting time-loss injuries were contacted to complete an injury form through a telephone interview. A designated member of the team medical staff also recorded injuries and team exposure throughout the season. Results We compared data from teams with complete registrations (n=9, 159 players). A total of 232 time-loss injuries were reported; 62% were recorded by individual registration only, 28% by both methods, and 10% by medical staff only. Knee injuries dominated (26%), but only 41% were captured through medical staff reports. The most frequent injury type was ligament injuries (22%), of which 38% were reported by the medical staff. Of the severe injuries (absence >28 days), 31 (50%) were identified from medical staff reports. Discussion The medical staff reports underestimated the incidence of time-loss injuries by two-thirds in our setting, which emphasises the importance of individual registration to increase the accuracy of injury incidence in team sports. Conclusion A new method employing text messaging by players to record injuries gave a more complete picture of injuries to elite female football players than team medical staff registration.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):330. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background Only one previous injury surveillance study (Ekstrand et al., 2010) has been carried out for several seasons. Ekstrand et al. (2010) found that the injury incidence and pattern were stable during seven Champions League seasons. Objective To monitor trends in injury incidence and pattern in Norwegian male professional football over six seasons. Design Prospective cohort study where injuries and exposure were registered by team medical staff using the league injury surveillance system for six seasons (2002-2007). An injury was recorded when a player was unable to fully take part in football training or match play. Setting Tippeligaen, the top 14 male Norwegian professional teams. Main outcome measurement Injury incidence (injuries/1000 player-hours). Results A total of 2365 injuries were recorded; 1664 (70.4%) acute injuries and 701 (29.6%) overuse injuries. The overall incidence of acute injuries was 16.1 per 1000 match hours (95% CI 15.1 to 17.1) and 1.9 (95% CI 1.7 to 2.0) per 1000 h of football training. The incidence of overuse injuries was 1.4 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.5).The incidence of overuse injuries and acute training injuries was consistent during the six-year study period. However, the risk of acute match injury increased (p=0.004). We could not detect any shifts in injury type, location, severity or re-injuries. No significant difference in the risk of acute match injuries (rate ratio (RR): 0.92, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.08), acute training injuries (RR: 1.16, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.36) or overuse injuries (RR: 1.07, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.25) was observed between preseason (January-March) and competitive season (April-October). Conclusion The risk of acute match injuries in Norwegian male professional football increased during the six-season study period. However, we detected no change in the risk of training or overuse injuries or any difference between the preseason and competitive season.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):336-7. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background It is well known that professional football has a high injury risk. The FIS Injury Surveillance System increases our knowledge of injuries to elite skiers and snowboarders. But what is more dangerous? Objective To compare the injury risk in World Cup (WC) skiing and snowboarding with Norwegian professional football (Tippeligaen). Design/Setting We conducted season-ending interviews with athletes from selected WC-teams in alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 winter seasons on acute injuries sustained (November through mid-March). Injury information was prospectively collected from medical staff in all Tippeliga-teams (n=16) and extracted from mid-March through July for the 2007 and 2008 seasons to best imitate the skiing/snowboarding season. Injury rate was calculated as number of injuries per 100 athletes per season. Results Among 521 alpine, 416 freestyle and 421 snowboard athletes we registered 155, 115 and 159 time-loss injuries, corresponding to 29.8 (95% CI 25.1 to 34.4), 27.6 (22.6-32.7) and 37.8 (31.9-43.6) injuries per 100 athletes per season. In Tippeligaen, 308 time-loss injuries were recorded among 440 players, corresponding to 70.0 (62.2-77.8) injuries per 100 players (RR: 2.4 (1.9-2.9) vs alpine, 2.5 (2.0-3.2) vs freestyle and 1.9 (1.5-2.2) vs snowboard). The rate of severe injuries (absence >28 days) was 11.3 (8.4-14.2), 13.8 (10.2-17.3), and 14.4 (10.8-18.1) injuries per 100 alpine, snowboard and freestyle athletes per season and 9.3 (6.5-12.2) in football. The rate of severe injuries was higher in freestyle skiing compared to football (RR: 1.5, 1.0-2.3) while no difference was found between football and alpine skiing (RR: 0.8, 0.6-1.2) or snowboarding (RR: 0.7, 0.5-1.0). Conclusion The injury risk among WC skiers and snowboarders is high, but only half of that in elite Norwegian football. However, the risk for severe injuries is the same in alpine skiing and snowboarding as in football, and even higher in freestyle skiing.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):348. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background A link has been suggested between increased dynamic knee valgus and the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in female athletes. However, these findings are based on complex time-consuming 3D motion analysis. There is a need for simple screening tools to identify athletes at increased risk of an ACL rupture. Objective To assess whether an experienced clinician can identify athletes with increased valgus angles and moments during a vertical drop jump using a simple screening test. Design Cross-sectional study. Participants Elite female football players. Methods Players in the Norwegian elite league (12 teams) were screened for potential risk factors for ACL injuries. Knee kinematics and kinetics in the landing phase of a 30 cm vertical drop jump were calculated using 3D motion analysis. Using a similar jump task, a physiotherapist assessed how well players stabilised their knees, and scored their knee control as 'good', 'reduced' or 'poor'. Results Of the 136 players included, 38% were classified as 'good', 34% had 'reduced' control and 28% were scored as 'poor'. Players with good control had significantly lower maximal valgus angles compared to players with poor control (0.5° vs 6.8°, p≤0.001). There were no differences in valgus moments (0.28 Nm/kg vs 0.28 Nm/kg, p=1.0). One-fifth of all players (17.6%) displayed valgus angles more than one SD above the mean in the 3D analyses (3.1° ±4.5°). The screening test captured 87.5% of these players. 22 (16.2%) players were classified in the 'poor' group without displaying high valgus angles. Conclusion The screening test identified 87.5% of players with increased valgus angles. No correlation was found between valgus angles and moments, and the test could not identify players with high valgus moments. Further investigations are needed to determine the cut-off value for defining high- versus low-risk groups, as well as the predictive value of the test.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):310. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: No long-term injury surveillance programs exist for competitive skiing or snowboarding. The objective of this study was, therefore, to compare different methods to record injuries among World Cup athletes in alpine, freestyle, and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping and Nordic combined. Information regarding injuries sustained during the 2006-2007 winter season was recorded through three separate and independent systems: prospective injury reports by technical delegates (TD) from the International Ski Federation, prospective medical team registration by selected teams, and retrospective athlete interviews at the end of the season. A total of 100 unique injuries to 602 World Cup athletes were identified from any of the three recording methods. Of these, 91% were registered through the athlete interviews, 47% by the medical team registration and 27% by the TD reports. Only 20 injuries (20%) were captured by all three methods. A total of 64 time-loss injuries were registered. The interviews captured 60 (94%), the medical team registration 39 (61%), and the TD reports 23 (36%) time-loss injuries, while 18 (28%) were registered by all three systems. Retrospective interviews with athletes/coaches regarding injuries during the last 6 months gave the most complete picture of injuries to World Cup skiers and snowboarders.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 04/2011; 21(2):196-205. · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Background Excessive dynamic knee valgus may leave athletes prone to serious knee injuries. The Star Excursion Balance Test (StarReach) is an objective clinical test, well applicable for non-clinicians, to identify athletes with ankle instability, but it's potential to detect athletes with reduced knee control has not been examined. Objective To compare StarReach test performance with subjective assessment of dynamic knee valgus during a single-leg squat in female athletes. Design Controlled, laboratory study. Setting Norwegian female elite team handball and football. Participants This study is part of an ongoing cohort study aimed at investigating risk factors for non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Since 2007, a total of 321 handball and 246 football players (22±4 years) have been included. Main outcome measures A physiotherapist assessed how well players stabilised their knees while performing a single-leg squat, and scored their performance as 'good', 'reduced' or 'poor'. Maximum reach distances in the StarReach test were measured on both feet in the antero-, medio- and posterolateral directions. A total of 440 players were tested. Results StarReach test performance (reach distance adjusted for leg length) was significantly better for those players who were scored with 'good' versus 'poor' knee stability (p<0.01): anterolateral direction 100.1 cm (SD 8.7 cm) vs 92.0 (9.4) right and 93.4 (6.4) vs 88.7 (7.3) left knee; mediolateral 96.7 (6.7) vs 91.0 (7.8) right and 97.1 (6.2) vs 90.3 (6.9) left knee; posterolateral 105.7 (6.5) vs 98.9 (8.7) right and 106.0 (6.2) vs 98.7 (7.8) left knee. However, correlation coefficients between objective and subjective tests varied between 0.18 and 0.32 for knee stability. Conclusion Poor relationships between StarReach-test performance and subjective scores illustrate why these two tests cannot be used interchangeably to assess knee stability. Further investigations are needed to determine whether any of these tests can predict increased knee injury risk.
British journal of sports medicine 04/2011; 45(4):375. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the risk of acute injuries among youth male and female footballers playing on third-generation artificial turf compared with grass. Over 60,000 players 13-19 years of age were followed in four consecutive Norway Cup tournaments from 2005 to 2008. Injuries were recorded prospectively by the team coaches throughout each tournament. The overall incidence of injuries was 39.2 (SD: 0.8) per 1000 match hours; 34.2 (SD: 2.4) on artificial turf and 39.7 (SD: 0.8) on grass. After adjusting for the potential confounders age and gender, there was no difference in the overall risk of injury [odds ratio (OR): 0.93 (0.77-1.12), P=0.44] or in the risk of time loss injury [OR: 1.05 (0.68-1.61), P=0.82] between artificial turf and grass. However, there was a lower risk of ankle injuries [OR: 0.59 (0.40-0.88), P=0.008], and a higher risk of back and spine [OR: 1.92 (1.10-3.36), P=0.021] and shoulder and collarbone injuries [OR: 2.32 (1.01-5.31), P=0.049], on artificial turf compared with on grass. In conclusion, there was no difference in the overall risk of acute injury in youth footballers playing on third-generation artificial turf compared with grass.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 08/2010; 22(3):356-61. · 2.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Since the 2000 season, an injury surveillance system has been established to monitor injury risk and injury patterns in the Norwegian professional football league. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of routine injury registration performed by medical staff in professional football. The team medical staff completed injury registration forms on a monthly basis throughout the 2007 season (January-October). Players were interviewed at the end of the season (October/November) about all injuries that occurred from July through September. Thirteen of fourteen teams, 296 of 310 A-squad players were interviewed. An injury was recorded when a player was unable to take fully part in football training or match the day after injury. A total of 174 injuries were registered, 123 acute injuries and 51 overuse injuries. Of these, 141 were reported by medical staff and 122 by players. Eighty-nine injuries (51%) were registered using both methods, 52 (30%) by medical staff only and 33 (19%) by player interviews only. Prospective injury surveillance by team medical staff in Norwegian male professional football underestimates the incidence of time-loss injuries by at least one-fifth.
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 03/2010; 21(5):713-20. · 2.87 Impact Factor
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R Bahr
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ABSTRACT: Overuse injuries may represent as much of a problem as do acute injuries in many sports. This paper reviews key concepts related to the methodology for recording overuse symptoms. Results from the FIVB Volleyball Injury Study were used to compare two different recording methods. The aim of this paper was to provide recommendations on how standardised methodology can be developed to quantify overuse injuries in surveillance studies. Using beach volleyball data, a "traditional" cohort study approach using a time-loss injury definition suggested that injury risk was very low. In contrast, the data from a survey of past and present pain problems in the shoulder, knees and low back demonstrated that these were prevalent. The following recommendations are made: (1) studies should be prospective, with continuous or serial measurements of symptoms; (2) valid and sensitive scoring instruments need to be developed to measure pain and other relevant symptoms; (3) prevalence and not incidence should be used to report injury risk; (4) severity should be measured based on functional level and not time loss from sports. In conclusion, new approaches are needed to develop more appropriate methodology to quantify overuse injuries in studies.
British journal of sports medicine 12/2009; 43(13):966-72. · 2.55 Impact Factor
