Background Injuries in volleyball are quite frequent and most likely caused by increased frequency, intensity and duration of training. Objective, setting The aim of the present study was to examine the incidence and mechanisms of injuries among top eight European junior female national teams. Design, methods Injury occurrence for the 2009–2010 season were collected by using a questionnaire. Results Of the 84 volleyball players (87.50% response rate), a total of 66 (78.54%) female players sustained 75 injuries, representing an overall incidence of 0.89 injuries per player. The national team players of the Czech Republic and Turkey reported the highest number of injuries, while the Italian team had the lowest number of injuries in the past season. An ankle (33.33%) was the most commonly injured region, followed by a knee (20%), fingers (17.33%) and shoulder (16%). Ankle injuries seemed to be more serious problem in the National team players of the Czech Republic (8/13 or 61.53%), while shoulder injuries were most common in the Russian National team (7/12 or 58.33%). Almost half of the reported injuries (48%) occurred in contact with another player. Majority of injuries occurred during training (41.33%), and 48% of all injuries were localized on the left side of the body. Most injuries were associated with play along the net, that is, blocking (41.33%) and spiking (24%). 53% of the injuries were slight or minor causing absence from training session time of less than 1 week. Conclusions Although all female players participated in some kind of injury prevention training during preseason or season, more than three-quarters of the players reported an injury during the season, indicating that this vulnerable population is especially sensitive and should be better adapted to training. Also, heterogeneity in localization of incurred injuries among players of different national teams could be observed thought different training techniques.

Background Volleyball, as a sports game, requires from the players high level preparedness with respect to all the motor abilities, as well as an effi cient execution of necessary technical and tactical game elements. Objective The aim of this research is to establish characteristics of the competitive activity structure in female volleyball at European Senior Championships in Bulgaria 2001, in Turkey 2003 and in Croatia 2005. Design, setting and methods An overall of 48 games of all three championships were analyzed. Comparative analysis of the latent competitive activity structure of female volleyball players was performed by factorial data analysis (factor rotation in Varimax solution). Results In the latent space of competitive analysis, three independent factors were isolated, justifying 73.76% of overall system variance. Factor 1 (space-time factor) explains 36.12% of overall variance and is defi ned by the following manifest variables: jumps (0.934), active (0.921) and passive (0.906) time of the game and strikes at ball (0.893). Factor 2 (situational precision) explains 21.46% of all variance and is defi ned by the following manifest variables: effi ciency coeffi cient (KE) of serve receiving (0.940), followed by KE of ball raising for attack (0.829), and the lowest KE is manifested in fi eld defence (0.815). Factor 3 (technical-tactical effi ciency) in latent space of competitive activity explains 16.19% of all variance and is defi ned by the following manifest realization of technical-tactical elements (0.685), and the smallest and negative KE drops in the variables: KE of attack (0.819), serve KE (0.803), KE block (0.711), success in fi eld defence (−0.558). Conclusions All the variables signifi cantly contribute to defi ning of isolated factors, but the greatest contribution belongs to jumps, active and passive time of the game and strikes at the ball, which is logical, because these variables are constant during the entire game. Other variables, that is, isolated factors of situational precision and factors of technical-tactical efficiency, are expressed through them.

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In all women in childbed with a history of fever early after delivery, vaginal and cervical culture specimens should be taken as soon as possible. Early recognition of GAS infection in early puerperium and prompt initiation of antimicrobial drug and supportive therapy can prevent development of STSS and lethal outcome.