title: A prospective study of injuries in licensed floorball players.
abstract: Injuries occurring among 457 licensed floorball players in the Swedish National League were analysed prospectively during the season from 1993 to 1994. Fifty-one (11%) players sustained 58 injuries. The majority (76%) of the injuries were due to trauma mostly during the gama (55%). Twenty-three (52%) of the traumatic injuries were caused by an opponent or a stick. Ankle sprain (35%) was the most common diagnosis. Injury severity classified with regard to time of absence from sport participation were similarly distributed for minor (36%), moderate (29%) and major (35%) injuries. The total rate of injury was 2.5 per 1000 hours for female and 2.6 for male players. Although this rate is lower than for contact sports like soccer and ice-hockey, we feel that further investigation of floorball injuries and improvement of protection devices would be valuable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital, Lingköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wikström
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011482:Protective Devices; D012307:Risk Factors