Year-round injury and illness surveillance in UK summer paralympic sport athletes: 2016-2019

OBJECTIVE

To identify the priority injuries and illnesses across UK summer Paralympic World Class Programmes (WCP).

METHODS

Four years (2016-2019) of electronic medical records from 360 athletes across 17 Paralympic WCP sports were analysed. Methods were based on the 2021 International Paralympic Committee translation of the original 2020 International Olympic Committee consensus statement for epidemiological recording and reporting. This included reporting incidence (count of injury per athlete year) and burden (time loss days per athlete year) of injuries by impairment category.

RESULTS

836 injuries and 453 illnesses were recorded during the surveillance period, accounting for 34 638 and 10 032 time-loss days, respectively. 216 (60%) athletes reported at least one injury, while 171 (47.5%) reported at least one illness. There were 0.9 injuries per athlete year, resulting in a mean injury burden of 38.1 days per athlete year. The lumbar/pelvis, shoulder and thoracic/ribs body region had the greatest incidence whereas the shoulder, lumbar/pelvis and wrist had the greatest injury burden. All impairment categories had shoulder or lumbar/pelvis as the body region with the greatest incidence, however the burden of body areas did not always reflect the incidence. Athletes reported 0.5 illnesses per athlete year, resulting in an average illness burden of 11.3 days per athlete year. The respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatological and genitourinary organ systems had the greatest illness incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

To optimise health and performance in Paralympic sport athletes, system-wide mitigation initiatives should target priority injury problems occurring in the lumbar/pelvis, shoulder, thoracic spine/ribs and wrist. Illness types causing the greatest burden vary with impairment group, and illness mitigation initiatives should consider athlete impairment types in their design, while continuing to note the high incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness across all impairments. Further research should examine associated risk factors and the influence of impairment categorisation.

Year-round longitudinal health surveillance in UK Olympic Summer Sport Athletes 2016-2019

OBJECTIVES

To identify the priority injury and illness types across UK summer Olympic World Class Programme sports to inform development, implementation and evaluation of associated injury risk mitigation and management initiatives.

METHODS

Four years (2016-2019) of electronic medical records of 1247 athletes from 22 sports were analysed and reported using methods based on the 2020 International Olympic Committee consensus statement for epidemiological recording and reporting.

RESULTS

3562 injuries and 1218 illness were recorded, accounting for 146 156 and 27 442 time-loss days. Overall, 814 (65%) athletes reported at least one injury, while 517 (41%) reported at least one illness. There were 1.3 injuries per athlete year resulting in a mean burden of 54.1 days per athlete year. The lumbar/pelvis, knee, ankle and shoulder body regions had the highest incidence and burden. Athletes reported 0.5 illnesses per athlete year, resulting in a mean burden of 10.4 days per athlete year, with most composed of respiratory illness and gastroenteritis. Injuries within sport groups were representative of the injury risk profile for those sports (eg, knee, hand and head injuries had the highest incidence in combat sports), but respiratory illnesses were consistently the greatest problem for each sport group.

CONCLUSIONS

To optimise availability for training and performance, systematic risk mitigation and management initiatives should target priority injury problems occurring in the lumbar/pelvis, knee, ankle and shoulder, and respiratory illness. Follow-up analysis should include identification of sport-specific priority health problems and associated risk factors.

Cricket fast bowling: The relationship between range of motion and key performance and injury technique characteristics

Fast bowling technique characteristics associated with performance and injury have been established; however, the effect of joint range of motion (ROM) on technique remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate ROM and its effect on fast bowling technique. Eighteen ROM measures and thirteen technique parameters were determined for 45 elite male fast bowlers. Twenty-three significant correlations were found between the shoulder, hip, and ankle ROM measures and technique parameters (r = 0.300-0.452; p < 0.05). Shoulder ROM was observed to have the highest number of correlations with fast bowling technique. Increased internal rotation, less external rotation, and greater total arc of rotation were associated with technique characteristics previously linked with increased ball release speed and decreased lumbar stress injury risk. Although hip and ankle ROM were also correlated with technique, their association is yet to be understood. Future research should aim to determine the impact of ROM on fast bowling movement patterns. This knowledge is likely to be useful in enhancing the coaching and rehabilitation of fast bowlers from lumbar stress injuries.

Data Collection Procedures and Injury Definitions in Badminton: A Consensus Statement According to the Delphi Approach

ABSTRACT

Previous studies involving injury surveillance in badminton players have used nonstandardized injury definitions and data collection methodologies. The purpose of this study was to apply a Delphi method to (1) reach a consensus on an injury definition in badminton and (2) develop a standardized badminton injury report form. An Injury Consensus Group was established under the auspices of the Badminton World Federation, and initial injury definitions and injury report form were developed. An internal panel was formed from the Injury Consensus Group, and an external panel was selected based on a combination of profession, experience in the field, sport-specific knowledge/expertise, and geographical location to obtain a widely representative sample. Through 2 rounds of voting by the external panel, consensus was reached on both the definition of an injury in badminton and a standardized injury report form. The agreed injury definition was "Any physical injury sustained by a player during a match or training regardless if further diagnostic tests were done or if playing time was lost" and the injury report form contained the following 7 sections: Injury record, Diagnosis, Injury mechanism, Regarding pain, Pain and return to play/training after injury, Grade of severity, and Recurrence. We recommend the use of the definitions and methods presented in this consensus statement for the reporting of injury in all international and domestic badminton players. This should make future injury surveillance reports directly comparable and hence more informative in recognizing trends over time and differences between countries.

Training and injuries among world elite junior badminton players - Identifying the problems

Background

The game of badminton has evolved since the early injury epidemiology studies. Since there is no published literature on injuries in elite junior badminton players from an international cohort, this study provides an updated reference of injuries in this population to inform future injury prevention strategies. The objective of this study was to report injury prevalence and training hours in elite junior badminton players participating at the World Junior Championships in 2018.

Methods

A questionnaire was used to collect data and was available in English, French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese or Chinese. It was designed to collect information including basic demographics, hours of training and competition, number of tournaments per year, current and previous injuries characterized by anatomical region, diagnosis, treatment and injury duration. The questions were focused on previous significant injuries lasting a minimum of 30 days and current musculoskeletal symptoms.

Results

One hundred and sixty-four of 436 players with a mean age of 17.1 years (SD ± 0.8) filled in the questionnaire. Participants represented North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and The Pacific's including the top 10 performing nations, providing a good overall representation of tournament participants. A total of 104 significant injuries (median duration of 90 days) with disruption of full training or competition capacity were reported. Seventy-eight (48%) players reported one or more significant injury. The most common location of significant injury was in the knee, ankle and lower back. Eleven injuries were reported as stress fractures. In 35 cases a player felt lasting limitation from a significant injury and in 37 cases a player felt lasting pain.

Conclusion

Previously in their career almost 50% of the players had sustained a significant injury with a median duration of 90 days. The lower extremities and the lower back were the predominant injured regions. In one third of the injuries a player had lasting limitations or pain. Stress fractures may be a serious underestimated problem in badminton.

Injuries in England and Wales elite men's domestic cricket: A nine season review from 2010 to 2018

OBJECTIVES

This study primarily aimed to explore injury incidence rates in the three main domestic competition formats in England and Wales (First-Class, One-Day and Twenty20 [T20]). For the first time, the study also describes the epidemiology of elite men's domestic cricket injuries across nine seasons (2010-2018 inclusive).

DESIGN

Prospective cohort analysis.

METHODS

Injury incidence and prevalence from all injuries calculated according to the updated international consensus statement on injury surveillance in cricket, with statistical process control charts (SPC) used to detect trends in the data.

RESULTS

The average match injury incidence was 102 injuries/1000 days of play, with highest incidence in One-Day (254 injuries/1000 days of play), followed by T20 (136 injuries/1000 days of play) and First-Class Cricket (68 injuries/1000 days of play). Most match injuries were sustained during bowling (41.6 injuries/1000 days of play), followed by fielding (26.8 injuries/1000 days of play) and batting (22.3 injuries/1000 days of play). The thigh was the body area most commonly injured (7.4 injuries/100 players per season), with lumbar spine injuries the most prevalent (1.3% of players unavailable on any given day during the season). On average, 7.5% of players were unavailable on any given day during the domestic season when all injuries were considered (match and training). The SPC charts showed relatively consistent match injury incidence for all competitions, reproduced across all nine seasons.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide a robust empirical base for the extent of the injury problem in domestic cricket played in England and Wales, with similar injury profiles across the three formats.

Passive range of motion of the hips and shoulders and their relationship with ball spin rate in elite finger spin bowlers

OBJECTIVES

Investigate rotational passive range of motion of the hips and shoulders for elite finger spin bowlers and their relationship with spin rate.

DESIGN

Correlational.

METHODS

Spin rates and twelve rotational range of motion measurements for the hips and shoulders were collected for sixteen elite male finger spin bowlers. Side to side differences in the rotational range of motion measurements were assessed using paired t-tests. Stepwise linear regression and Pearson product moment correlations were used to identify which range of motion measurements were linked to spin rate.

RESULTS

Side to side differences were found with more external rotation (p = 0.039) and less internal rotation (p = 0.089) in the bowling shoulder, and more internal rotation in the front hip (p = 0.041). Total arc of rotation of the front hip was found to be the best predictor of spin rate (r = 0.552, p =  0.027), explaining 26% of the observed variance. Internal rotation of the rear hip (r = 0.466, p =  0.059) and the bowling shoulder (r = 0.476, p =  0.063) were also associated with spin rate.

CONCLUSIONS

The technique and performance of elite finger spin bowlers may be limited by the passive range of motion of their hips and shoulders. The observed side to side differences may indicate that due to the repetitive nature of finger spin bowling adaptive changes in the rotational range of motion of the hip and shoulder occur.

Injury profiles in elite women's T20 cricket

OBJECTIVES

To Describe the injury incidence and prevalence during two years of a professional women's T20 cricket tournament.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

Injuries were recorded prospectively for 68 matches during a professional women's T20 tournament in 2016 and 2017. There were six teams of 15 players. Participants were female, aged between 16-38 years (mean 23.4±4.8). Time-loss and non time-loss incidence and prevalence were calculated for match days, region, skill group, mode and activity at time of injury.

RESULTS

The greatest incidence occurred in the shoulder (1.8 injuries per 100 match days), lower back (1.7 injuries per 100 match days) and knee (1.7 injuries per 100 match days). The highest time-loss prevalence occurred in hand (1.7%), head/face (0.8%) and thigh (0.6%). All head injuries were concussion. Catching related injuries caused the most time-loss (2.5% prevalence) and throwing related shoulder injury had the highest incidence (2.3 injuries per 100 match days). Gradual onset injuries had the highest overall incidence (7.9 injuries per 100 match days).

CONCLUSIONS

In elite female T20 cricket, time-loss injuries, particularly impact/traumatic injuries are most likely to occur during fielding, suggesting pitch side support and trauma training is a priority. The high incidence of gradual onset injuries, particularly throwing related shoulder pain, indicates that managing workload and ensuring physical preparedness is vital.

The effect of a cricket fielding session on glenohumeral range of motion and active joint position sense

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of a cricket fielding session, at an identified throwing injury risk workload, on shoulder joint position sense (JPS) and active range of motion (AROM) in cricketers.

DESIGN

Repeated measures observational study.

SETTING

Indoor cricket centre.

PARTICIPANTS

Nineteen, asymptomatic University cricketers.

MAIN OUTCOME

AROM was assessed supine at 90° abduction and from this 10% off end range IR and ER was used as the position matching angle to assess JPS. JPS error scores as well as AROM were assessed pre and post a cricket fielding session consisting of 40 throws.

RESULTS

Following the cricket fielding session, no alteration in JPS in ER (p = 0.91) or IR (p = 0.27) was observed. There was however a significant decrease in IR (-3.9°) following the fielding drill (p = 0.007) while no significant change was observed in ER or total motion.

CONCLUSION

Active IR ROM is significantly decreased immediately following a cricket fielding drill, while no alterations in JPS were observed. High levels of eccentric stress have been reported in the external rotators after throwing which may contribute to the acute musculotendinous adaptations observed. Changes in IR may be a contributing factor to workload-acquired shoulder throwing injuries.