title: A comparative analysis of injuries in handball, hockey, volleyball and soccer in kenya.
abstract: The occurrence of injuries in sports and the negligence of the injured players have caused an early exit of talented players in most third world countries. It is therefore necessary to document statistics on injuries in these countries. We prospectively observed and documented injuries to female and male players in handball, hockey, volleyball and soccer in Kenya involving 20 % of all the league matches played in a period of 3 months. Only the injuries that led to substitution of a player or temporary stoppage of the game were recorded in relation to the ecology, nature, mechanism, etiology, and part of the field. There were more injuries in soccer (51.30 %), compared to hockey (23.78 %), handball (14.94 %) and volleyball (10.30 % ). The male players received 72.08 % of all the injuries; soccer players being the most affected (66.34 %). Contusions (62.34 % ) and sprains (14.94 %) were the most noted nature of injuries and occurred more to the lower limbs (74.59 %). The frequently observed etiology was another player (49.35 % ). Most players were injured while tackling or being tackled (31.17 % ), falling (14.94 % ) and this occurred more in the offensive part of the field (53.25 % ). Only 21.43 % of the injuries warranted a substitution of a player. The injuries recorded are typical in these sports, hence more studies of this nature of longer duration and involving a larger sample are recommended in order to corroborate these results.
authors.affiliation: Egerton University, C/o Laikipia College Campus, P.O.Box 1100, Nyahururu, Kenya, Tel: 254-0365-32365/6-9, Fax: 254-0365-32371, E-mail: museejm(g)$qhgQ.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wekesa
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Njororai
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Madaga
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Asembo