%0 Journal Article
%T A warm-up program to reduce injuries in youth field hockey players: a quasi-experiment
%J Journal of athletic training
%D 2019
%A Barboza, Saulo Delfino
%A Nauta, Joske
%A Emery, Carolyn
%A Van Mechelen, Willem
%A Gouttebarge, Vincent
%A Verhagen, Evert
%V 54
%N 4
%P 374-383
%X CONTEXT: Field hockey is popular worldwide; however, it entails a risk of injury. Injuries hamper players' participation in the sport and impose a burden on public health. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of a structured exercise program among youth field hockey players on the injury rate, severity, and burden. <br><br>DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. SETTING: On field during 1 season of field hockey (October 2016 through June 2017). PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 22 teams (291 players): 10 teams (135 players, mean age = 11.5 years [95% confidence interval (CI) = 11.2, 11.7 years]) in the intervention group and 12 teams (156 players, mean age = 12.9 years [95% CI = 12.6, 13.2 years]) in the control group. INTERVENTION(S): The Warming-up Hockey program, a sex- and age-specific, structured, evidence-informed warm-up program consisting of a preparation phase (ie, agility and cardiovascular warm-up exercises), movement skills (ie, stability and flexibility exercises), and sport-specific skills (ie, speed and strength exercises in field hockey situations). Participants in the control group performed their usual warm-up routines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Injury rate (ie, the number of injuries per 1000 player-hours of field hockey exposure), severity (ie, days of player time-loss), and burden on athletes' availability to play (ie, days of time loss due to injury per 1000 player-hours of field hockey exposure). <br><br>RESULTS: The injury rate was lower in the intervention group (hazard ratio of 0.64 [95% CI = 0.38, 1.07]); however, this result was not statistically significant. The severity of injuries was similar in both groups (<i>t</i> statistic <i>P =</i>.73). The burden of injuries on players' field hockey participation was lower in the intervention group (difference of 8.42 [95% CI = 4.37, 12.47] days lost per 1000 player-hours of field hockey). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to the Warming-up program was not significantly associated with a lower injury rate. No reduction was observed in the severity of injuries alone; however, the burden of injuries on players' field hockey participation was lower in the intervention group.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I National Athletic Trainers' Association (USA)
%@ 1062-6050
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-79-18