title: A controlled prospective case control study of a prevention training program in female team handball players: the German experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few authors have investigated the effectiveness of preventive intervention in European team handball.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a prevention program on the incidence of injuries in female European team handball players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten female handball teams (134 players) took part in the prevention program (1. Information about injury mechanism, 2. Balance-board exercises, 3. Jump training) while 10 other teams (142 players) were instructed to train as usual. Over one season all injuries were documented weekly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ankle sprain was the most frequent diagnosis in both groups with 11 ankle sprains in the control group and 7 ankle sprains in the intervention group (Odds ratio: 0.55, 95% confidence interval: 0.22-1.43). The knee was the second frequent injury site. In the control group 5 of all knee injuries were anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures (incidence: 0.21 per 1000 h) in comparison with one in the intervention group (incidence: 0.04 per 1000 h). Odds ratio was 0.17 with 95% confidence interval of 0.02-1.5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that proprioceptive and neuromuscular training is appropriate for the prevention of knee and ankle injuries among female European team handball players.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Hand, and Reconstructive Surgery, Westfalian Wilhelms University Münster, Waldeyerstr. 1, 48149 Münster, Germany. Wolf.Petersen@ukmuenster.de
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weimann
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Drescher
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eiling
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stange
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hedderich
authors.forename: Thore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zantop
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies