The prevalence of shoulder overuse injuries in handball players : a local study

Abstract

Background: Handball is an overhead throwing sport and athletes have a greater predisposition of developing overuse shoulder injuries. Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit (GIRD) is a 20° lag of shoulder internal rotation that is known to be a precursor to overuse shoulder injuries. Purpose: This study was aimed at examining the prevalence of shoulder overuse injuries in Maltese handball players. It aimed to discover the risks of developing shoulder overuse injuries and to discover any associations with factors such as BMI, age, gender, training sessions per week, years of training level of play, position of play practice of other sport. Study Design: A positivist approach was chosen to test this anthropometric study. Methods: Questionnaires were used to collect data from all active handball players for season 2014/2015. The data collected included age, gender, contact details, history of shoulder surgeries, injuries and pain in the past, seasons playing handball, position of play, level of play, involvement in another sport, minutes of training per week and arm dominance. A physical examination was carried out on 46 handball players (those who met the inclusion criteria) to confirm the data collected through the questionnaire, and to measure weight and height. Medial and Lateral rotation of both arms were measured using a bubble inclinometer with the athlete in supine, shoulder abducted to 90° and elbow flexed to 90° in the plane of the scapula. SPSS® was used to generate results. Results: There was a significant difference in GIRD on the dominant arm in different gender groups (t = 3.168 p < 0.001) and athletes who have been playing for longer than others (t = 2.178 p < 0.035). There was also a significant difference in GIRD on the nondominant arm in athletes who play in different positions (f = 2.961 p < 0.043). There was no significant difference in GIRD in other categories. Conclusion: Male athletes with a longer career in handball and those athletes who play with pain would appear to have a greater predisposition to GIRD related injuries.