INJURY IN ELITE MEN'S LACROSSE: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY DURING THE 2010 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Issue 17 (24th October 2013) - Webb, M
Abstract : There is limited data on injuries sustained while playing men's lacrosse. As the sport gains popularity, practitioners will be more likely to treat lacrosse players. The aim was to gather and analyse injury surveillance data from the 2010 Men's Lacrosse World Championships to recognise potential injury patterns, establish risk of injury, and identify possible means for prevention. This is a prospective observational study of injuries reported during the 2010 Men's Lacrosse World Championships. Data was categorised into Body Part Injured, Diagnosis, Mechanism, and Time of Injury. Over nine days, 29 countries competed in 79 games, with 667 players taking part. A total of 150 injuries were sustained by 129 individuals aged 16 to 46 years old. Five times more injuries were reported to have occurred during games than during training or warm-up sessions (n=104(69%) versus n=20(13%), rate ratio =5.20). An injury rate of 39.5 injuries per 1000 hours played was calculated (95% CI=32.5, 48.0). The most frequent mechanism was contact (n=80, 53%), including direct impact with another player (n=45, 30%), with a stick (n=25, 17%) or ball (n=8, 5%). Change of direction, twisting and sprinting were the most common non-contact mechanisms of injury (n=41, 27%). The most frequently reported injuries were contusions (n=48, 32%), closely followed by sprains (n=34, 23%) and strains (n=34, 23%). The lower limb was the most injured body part, reported twice as often as upper limb injuries (n=76(51%) versus 35(23%), rate ratio =2.17). The ankle was the most commonly injured joint (n=21, 14%) followed by the shoulder (n=15, 10%). As participation in men's lacrosse expands, health professionals could be responsible for treating lacrosse players. The combination of physical play, athleticism and equipment used means players are susceptible to a range of injuries. Familiarity with the sport's common injury-patterns could help in treatment and prevention.