Traumatic injuries to the hand and wrist in youth elite handball are most frequently localised to the thumb and proximal interphalangeal joints

Abstract

Introduction Hand and wrist injuries have been described as the second most common severe injuries in handball. However, no evidence exists regarding the specific characteristics of these injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the injury pattern of hand and wrist injuries in youth handball.

Materials and Methods Two-hundred and ninety-six adolescent elite handball players (mean age: 14.0 ± 0.8 years) completed a retrospective survey regarding their hand and wrist injuries during the previous season. The injury questionnaire was adapted from sports-specific questionnaires to the demands of hand and wrist injuries in handball and included injury location, type of injury and injury severity.

Results One-hundred and twenty-three (42 %) players reported 156 injuries (0.53 injuries per season per player) to their hands or wrists in the past season. Injuries to the proximal interphalangeal joints were most frequently described (n = 74, 47 %). The thumb was involved in 46 (29 %) cases. Sprains (n = 113, 72 %) were the most common type of injury. Thirty-six percent of moderate and severe injuries (> 7 days time loss) had not been treated by a physician.

Conclusions The rates of hand and wrist injuries are high in youth elite handball. Injury prevention strategies and return to competition criteria should focus on the thumb and the interphalangeal joints. Further research into these injuries is essential to identify risk factors and to develop adequate injury prevention measures.

Zusammenfassung

Einleitung Verletzungen der Hand und des Handgelenks sind als zweithäufigste, schwere Verletzung im Handball beschrieben. Allerdings existiert bisher keine Evidenz bezüglich der spezifischen Charakteristiken dieser Verletzung. Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, das Verletzungsmuster von Hand- und Handgelenksverletzungen im Handball zu bestimmen.

Material und Methoden 296 jugendliche Landeskaderspieler (Durchschnittsalter 14,0 ± 0,8 Jahre) haben einen retrospektiven Fragebogen über erlittene Verletzungen der Hand und des Handgelenks in der vorherigen Saison ausgefüllt. Der Verletzungsfragebogen wurde von sportspezifischen Fragebögen auf die Anforderungen von Hand- und Handgelenksverletzungen im Handball adaptiert, einschließlich Verletzungslokalisation, Verletzungstyp und Verletzungsschwere.

Ergebnisse 123 (42 %) Spieler meldeten 156 Verletzungen (0,53 Verletzungen pro Saison pro Spieler) ihrer Hände und Handgelenke in der vergangenen Spielsaison. Verletzungen der proximalen Interphalangealgelenke wurden am häufigsten beschrieben (n = 74; 47 %). Der Daumen war 46-mal (29 %) beteiligt. Kapsel-Band-Verletzungen (n = 113; 72 %) waren der häufigste Verletzungstyp. 36 % der moderaten und schweren Verletzungen (> 7 Tage Ausfallzeit vom Sport) wurden nicht von einem Arzt behandelt.

Schlussfolgerung Die Verletzungsraten von Hand- und Handgelenksverletzungen im jugendlichen Kaderhandball sind hoch. Verletzungsprävention und Return-to-Competition-Kriterien sollten sich auf den Daumen und die Interphalangealgelenke fokussieren. Weitere Untersuchungen sind notwendig, um Risikofaktoren zu identifizieren und adäquate Maßnahmen zur Verletzungsprävention zu entwickeln.

Key words

trauma - sport - contact - epidemiology

Schlüsselwörter

Verletzung - Sport - Kontakt - Epidemiologie

Publication History

Article published online:
27 August 2020

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