The cost of injury in Ladies Gaelic football: A nine-year analysis (2012–2020) of the LGFA's Injury Fund. Issue 1 (January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Connor, Siobhán; Whyte, Enda; Fortington, Lauren; Corrigan, John
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 26:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 31
• Page End: 36
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Subjects: Female sport -- Gaelic games -- Injury surveillance -- Injury epidemiology; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.10.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Ladies Gaelic football is a popular women's sport in Ireland and internationally. An injury fund is available to Ladies Gaelic football players for claims to cover excess medical bills/lost wages, facilitating a longitudinal analysis of claim data over time. This study aimed to report Ladies Gaelic football injury claim numbers, rates, and associated costs, and consider claim trends over time. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: All approved injury claims from Ladies Gaelic football players between 2012 and 2020 were analysed. The frequency of injury claims, cost of the injury fund, and specific treatment expenses were calculated for the overall sample, and for adults and youths. Claim rates per 1000 players, per 1000 adults and per 1000 youths were calculated and Poisson regression was used to examine trends over time. Results: A total of €6, 200, 557.68 was allocated to 9348 claims, averaging €663.30 ± 1387.15 per claim. There were 12.98 (95 % confidence interval 12.72–13.25) claims per 1000 players and 1.15 (95 % confidence interval 1.12–1.17) per club. No significant injury trends over time were observed whilst the average inflation-adjusted claim cost increased by 71.9 %. Lower extremity injuries accounted for most claims (63.8 %) and most costs (83.4 %). The knee, ankle and hamstring were most frequently injured and knee injuries accounted for 70 % of injury costs. Conclusions: Claim rates remained prevalent between 2012 and 2020 though average claim costs increased substantially during this time. Investment towards injury prevention strategies targeting lower extremity injuries, particularly knee injuries, is strongly supported by these data.