DALLAS - Ankle and foot injuries are most likely in high school girls' volleyball during jumping, spiking or blocking, according to the first phase of a study by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA).
The three-year study researched injuries recorded by certified athletic trainers for 87 high school volleyball teams across the country. The study is designed to show trends on what, when, how and where injuries occur to high school volleyball players. It is conducted by John Powell, PhD, ATC.
Specifically, the first phase of the study shows 65.7 percent of ankle and foot injuries to high school volleyball players happen during a spiking or blocking attempt.
"It's vitally important for parents and school representatives to realize the impact of a sports-related injury, regardless of its severity, and the power they have to prevent it," Powell said. "Injuries have negative repercussions beyond the injured athlete and his or her career. It impacts performance of his or her team, all of which can be minimized with access to an ATC."
Yet less than 42 percent of U.S. high schools have access to a certified athletic trainer (ATC) to teach student athletes how to prevent injuries and to recognize and treat the injuries that do occur, according to the NATA.
Overall, the study indicates female volleyball players at the high school level are most likely to injure their ankles and feet (35.6%); hips, thighs or legs (16.2%); or forearms, wrists or hands (15.8%). In addition, experts say the most common injuries normally are sprains, instant injuries to muscles (48.6%); or strains, a traumatic injury to a ligament or joint that appears more gradually (25.5%).
In addressing study findings on the more common ankle and foot injuries in high school volleyball, ATCs recommend players and their parents consider:
"The results from our injury surveillance study are an invaluable tool to the association's 23,000 members," said NATA President Kent Falb, ATC, PT, head athletic trainer for the Detroit Lions. "ATCs can actively minimize the risk of the most common injuries to high school athletes through education and participation in the planning of their conditioning programs."
The NATA, based in Dallas, provides the latest research and techniques to its 17,000+ certified members, who are experts in providing quality healthcare for the physically active.
The NATA was founded in 1950 and today serves more than 23,000 athletic trainers worldwide.
What are the most common injuries in high school volleyball? |
|
General Trauma |
15.0% |
Strains |
25.5% |
Sprains |
48.6% |
Fractures |
4.0% |
Where do high school women's volleyball injuries occur? |
|
Forearm/Wrist/Hand |
15.8% |
Shoulder/Arm |
9.3% |
Hip/Thigh/Leg |
16.2% |
Ankle/Foot |
35.6% |
Knee |
11.3% |
What are the most common injuries in high school volleyball? |
|
General Trauma |
15.0% |
Strains |
25.5% |
Sprains |
48.6% |
Fractures |
4.0% |
Which players, by position, incur the most injuries? |
|
Setters |
27.5% |
Mid-hitters |
23.5% |
Outside hitters |
23.5% |
Back-court diggers |
19.6% |
What are the percentages of major, moderate and minor injuries? |
|
Major |
5.6% |
Moderate |
12.0% |
Minor |
82.5% |
Are injuries more likely to occur during practices or games? |
|
Practice |
79.6% |
Games |
20.4% |
What percentage of injuries require surgery? |
1.6% |
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/volleyball-indoor/safety/volleyball-injuries
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/health-safety/muscles-joints-bones/preventing-volleyball-injuries