Citation

Akinbola M, Logerstedt D, Hunter-Giordano A, Snyder-Mackler L. Int. J. Sports Phys. Ther. 2015; 10(1): 75-84.

Affiliation

Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Sports Physical Therapy Section, American Physical Therapy Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

25709866

Abstract

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Ultimate Frisbee (Ultimate) is a limited-contact team sport growing in popularity, particularly as a collegiate club sport. In 2011, over 947,000 people played Ultimate. Sex, age, skill level, and physical demands of the sport place each player at risk for injury, yet there is limited information on the number of injuries with regard to clinical research. The purpose of this study is to identify injury reporting trends in Ultimate Frisbee against other collegiate club sports and examine correlation with sex, body region, and medical recommendations and to discuss associated risk of injury.

METHODS: Athletes who sustained an injury related to participation in their respective club sport attended a physical therapy sports clinic, underwent screening, and were provided direction for injury management. Data was collected on various elements of each case with descriptive statistical analysis performed to catalog injury characteristics. Chi-square analyses were performed to compare proportions between sports, sex, and body region.

RESULTS: Ultimate accounted for 143 (31.0%) of the 461 reported injury cases collected from all club sports. Female injuries represented 101 (70.6%) of the 143 Ultimate cases, whereas men totaled 42 (29.4%) (p<0.001). Women had significantly more foot/ankle (26) than men (4) (p<.001) and more lumbar/flank (9) injuries than men (2) (p=.022).

CONCLUSIONS: Ultimate accounted for one of the highest number of reported injuries among all club sports. Women reported injuries more than twice as frequently as men. The majority of reported Ultimate injuries involved the lower extremity. Injury trends observed are similar to those previously reported in several NCAA Intercollegiate sports. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Language: en