Affiliations: [a] Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany | [b] Medical Praxis of Comprehensive Orthopaedics and Traumatology, MVZ, Berlin, Germany | [c] Orthotrain-The medical Diagnostics Therapy Center, Berlin, Germany
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The volleyball game has a high complexity and thus
entails a lot of strain to the players. Due to this high and different
training and competition strain comprehensive and individual training plans
should be developed with competing training objectives in order to prevent
injuries.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyse prospectively over
six seasons the acute and overuse injuries of a German male professional
volleyball team.
METHODS: The study included 34 male national league players from
season the 2007/08 to 2012/13. All players received a sport medicine
examination and a functional diagnosis before each season. Based on the
results the players received an individual training plan.
RESULTS: The players suffered 186 injuries. The prevalence of acute
injuries was 1.94 per player and overuse injuries 0.64 per player. The
incidence of acute injuries was 3.3/1000 h volleyball and overuse injuries
1.08/1000 h volleyball. The largest number of injuries was found in the
spine. The players had most likely minor injuries. The players had
significantly fewer injuries in their second season (1.92) than in their
first season (3.25; p= 0.004).
CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that volleyball is a sport with a
relative low prevalence of injuries compared to other team sports. The
prevalence of injury is 2.58 per player. Due to an injury a player dropped
out 16.91 days per season. An individual training program seems to reduce
the incidence of injury.
