161 Low back pain in field hockey athletes. (3rd March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rees, Huw; McCarthy Persson, Ulrik; Blake, Catherine
• Is Part Of: British journal of sports medicine. Volume 54(2020)Supplement 1
• Page Start: A68
• Page End: A69
• Publication Date: 2020-03-03
• Subjects: Sports medicine -- Periodicals; 617.1027
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-IOCAbstracts.161
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-3674

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Field hockey is played in a unique position where athletes run and play the ball in an excessively flexed position. This potentially predisposes athletes to injuries to the lower back. Objective: To investigate the rates and characteristics of lower back injuries in field hockey. Design: This prospective cohort study involved athletes self-reporting injuries through the AthleteMonitoring software, using an all physical complaints definition. Coaches and physiotherapists were contacted on a weekly basis to collect unreported injuries and exposure data. Injuries to the lower back were extracted for analysis. Setting: Field hockey athletes playing in the Irish Hockey League (IHL) throughout two seasons. Patients (or Participants): Male athletes (n=118) competing in seven teams in the IHL were recruited. Interventions (or assessment of risk factors): Injury rate was expressed per thousand exposure hours and injury characteristics as a proportion of the total number of lower back injuries. Main outcome measurements: Injury incidence. Results: Overall, 32 injuries occurred to the lower back, accounting for 9.9% of all injuries and an incidence rate of 0.9/1000h. Sixteen (50.0%) required medical attention and 10 (31.3%) required time-loss from sport. Nine (28.1%) were incurred during matches, with the remaining 23 (71.9%) occurring during training. Non-specific low back pain was the most common type of injury (50.0%), followed closely by muscle strains (40.6%). All injuries occurred through non-contact mechanisms, with 10 (31.3%) being recurrences of previous injuries. Conclusions: Injuries to the lower back account for almost 1 in 10 injuries in field hockey. The majority occurred during training sessions, where repetitive drills involving a crouched position are common, and one third were recurrences. This indicates that fatigue and overload are potential contributors to this type of injury.