Epidemiology of shoulder injury in sub-elite level water polo players

Abstract

Investigate the patterns and circumstances of shoulder injury, in both male and female sub-elite water polo players, through evaluating the injury incidence, mechanism and subsequent training time lost. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: Sports institute. Participants: 80 sub-elite water polo players Main Outcome Measures: Total injury number and incidence, mechanism of injury, lost training time and time from injury onset to seeking treatment.Results: For the athlete self-report data set (2009-2013), 218 total injuries were reported with 54 (25%) being shoulder injuries. From 2014-2016, 133 physiotherapist-report injuries were recorded, the shoulder accounting for 21 (16%) of total injuries. The shoulder was the most frequently injured site and accounted for 25% of lost training days. Two thirds of shoulder injuries were due to overuse (67%). The average time between sustaining a shoulder injury and presenting to the team physiotherapist was 10 days. Conclusion:Irrespective of data collection method, shoulder injuries were the most common injury for both male and female sub-elite water polo players. Future injury prevention strategies could address overuse through optimising throwing volumes, and include athlete education about injury management to determine whether reducing time delay between injury occurrence and seeking treatment improves outcomes. Highlights• Shoulder injuries were the most common self-report and physiotherapist-report injury by sub-elite water polo players • Shoulder injuries accounted for 25% of all lost training days • The average time delay between sustaining a shoulder injury and seeking physiotherapy treatment was 10 days

Musculoskeletal injuries in athletes from five modalities: a cross-sectional study

“…In the present Information were obtained from 344 athletes from joint injury group, 297 athletes from muscle injury group and 188 athletes from tendinopathy group. f Information were obtained from 344 athletes from joint injury group and 299 athletes from muscle injury group study, the prevalence of shoulder tendinopathy was in agreement with that observed by Hams and colleagues in Australian water polo athletes [29].…”

“…The prevalence of injuries in the ankle and knee joint and posterior thigh muscle found in our study can be explained by the dynamics of spin acceleration and jumping and landing tasks with only one foot [26,28]. Water polo is a team and contact sport with dynamic movements without the contribution of a solid base of support, which may cause micro-tears of the musculoskeletal structures, mainly the shoulder tendon, due to repetitive throwing movements [29][30][31]. In the present Information were obtained from 344 athletes from joint injury group, 297 athletes from muscle injury group and 188 athletes from tendinopathy group.…”

Predictors associated with a range of motion of shoulder rotation in competitive high school water polo players: a cross-sectional study

“…The GIRD values in these athletes are lower when compared to other modalities of overhead athletes 15 . In water polo, few studies have shown that GIRD is typical in this athlete population 3 . However, there is no significant correlation with pain/injuries 16 .…”

“…The body part most affected by injuries in competitive water polo players is the shoulder [1][2][3] , due to the nature of the sporting movement that involves swimming, throwing, and defending. The leading cause of these injuries is shoulder overuse 3 .…”

“…The body part most affected by injuries in competitive water polo players is the shoulder [1][2][3] , due to the nature of the sporting movement that involves swimming, throwing, and defending. The leading cause of these injuries is shoulder overuse 3 . Other possible causes are the loss of the glenohumeral internal rotation range of motion (IR ROM) and increased glenohumeral external rotation (ER ROM) 4 , previous history of pain 5 , and muscle weakness of the external rotators of the shoulder 6,7 .…”