[Prevention of school sport injuries--an analysis of ballsports with 2234 injuries].
OBJECTIVE
Ball sport school injuries account for a significant morbidity among children and adolescents.


METHODS
During a school year 2234 school sport injuries have been reported to the Gemeinde Unfall Versicherung (GUV) Niedersachsen, Germany.


RESULTS
Regarding the non-gender-specific distribution of the ball sport disciplines, basketball leads with 32 % (n = 431), followed by soccer (24 %, n = 316), volleyball (17 %, n = 232), handball (8.3 %, n = 110) and hockey (4.9 %, n = 65). Sprains (27 %) dominate in basketball, followed by ligament distorsions and ruptures (23 %) and fractures (21 %), with frequent finger injuries (61 %) without contact of an opponent, and injuries of the lower extremity (28 %). Soccer leads to contusions (29 %), in 52 % of the lower extremity frequently after collision with an opponent (22 %) or the ball (20 %). In volleyball upper extremity injuries (71 %) dominate with 53 % finger sprains in individual volleyball play.


CONCLUSIONS
Ball school sport injuries account for a significant morbidity with frequent finger injuries. Proprioceptive deficits may play a role in those finger injuries in basketball, volleyball and handball. During hockey, severe dental and facial injuries were apparent. A prospective proprioceptive training program aiming on fingers and the ankle region may therefore be a preventive measure such as helmets with facial protection in hockey school sport.
Knobloch
K
K
Unfallchirurgie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. kknobi@yahoo.com
Rossner
D
D
Jagodzinski
M
M
Zeichen
J
J
Gössling
T
T
Martin-Schmitt
S
S
Richter
M
M
Krettek
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*