TY - JOUR
T1 - High Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Within the First 2 Months of the Season in Amateur Team Ball Sports
AU - Mouton, Caroline
AU - Gokeler, Alli
AU - Urhausen, Anouk
AU - Nührenbörger, Christian
AU - Seil, Romain
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s).
PY - 2022/3
Y1 - 2022/3
N2 - Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is commonly reported as an annual incidence rate. There is relatively little information about the seasonal aspects of these injuries. The aim of the current study was to analyze the distribution of ACL injuries during the season in nonprofessional soccer, handball, and basketball based on a retrospective analysis of a hospital-based registry. Hypothesis: ACL injuries in soccer, handball, and basketball were more common within the first 2 months of the season in comparison with the rest of the year. Study Design: Case series. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Injury occurrence during the calendar year was divided into 6 periods of 2 months, with segment 1 (S1) representing the first 2 months of the season. For soccer, S1 corresponded to September and October. The season started 1 month later for handball and basketball, so S1 represented October and November. Chi-square tests were used to analyze the distribution of ACL injuries among segments according to gender, age, sports, and injury mechanism (contact/noncontact). Results: A total of 371 ACL injuries were included (soccer, 258, handball, 56, basketball, 57). Overall, the distribution of ACL injuries was not uniform across the segments (P < 0.01). Almost one-third of the ACL injuries occurred in S1 (n = 104; 28%). Significant differences could be observed according to sports (P < 0.01). There were fewer ACL injuries in S2 for soccer compared with basketball (P < 0.05). In S5, there were significantly more ACL injuries in soccer compared with handball and basketball (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A high occurrence of ACL injuries was reported immediately within the first 2 months of the season in nonprofessional soccer, handball, and basketball sports. Clinical Relevance: These findings indicate that ACL injury prevention programs should be started in the preseason period to allow for gradual increases of load.
AB - Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is commonly reported as an annual incidence rate. There is relatively little information about the seasonal aspects of these injuries. The aim of the current study was to analyze the distribution of ACL injuries during the season in nonprofessional soccer, handball, and basketball based on a retrospective analysis of a hospital-based registry. Hypothesis: ACL injuries in soccer, handball, and basketball were more common within the first 2 months of the season in comparison with the rest of the year. Study Design: Case series. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Injury occurrence during the calendar year was divided into 6 periods of 2 months, with segment 1 (S1) representing the first 2 months of the season. For soccer, S1 corresponded to September and October. The season started 1 month later for handball and basketball, so S1 represented October and November. Chi-square tests were used to analyze the distribution of ACL injuries among segments according to gender, age, sports, and injury mechanism (contact/noncontact). Results: A total of 371 ACL injuries were included (soccer, 258, handball, 56, basketball, 57). Overall, the distribution of ACL injuries was not uniform across the segments (P < 0.01). Almost one-third of the ACL injuries occurred in S1 (n = 104; 28%). Significant differences could be observed according to sports (P < 0.01). There were fewer ACL injuries in S2 for soccer compared with basketball (P < 0.05). In S5, there were significantly more ACL injuries in soccer compared with handball and basketball (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A high occurrence of ACL injuries was reported immediately within the first 2 months of the season in nonprofessional soccer, handball, and basketball sports. Clinical Relevance: These findings indicate that ACL injury prevention programs should be started in the preseason period to allow for gradual increases of load.
KW - anterior cruciate ligament
KW - epidemiology
KW - injury
KW - prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106706983&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34039120
U2 - 10.1177/19417381211014140
DO - 10.1177/19417381211014140
M3 - Article
C2 - 34039120
AN - SCOPUS:85106706983
SN - 1941-7381
VL - 14
SP - 183
EP - 187
JO - Sports Health
JF - Sports Health
IS - 2
ER -