Incidence and Risk Factors for Injuries in Girls' High School Volleyball: A Study of 2072 Players

Abstract

Context: Girls' high school volleyball is very popular across the United States. Prospective data are limited regarding the incidence and risk factors of time-loss (TL) and non-time-loss (NTL) injuries sustained in this population. Objective: To estimate the incidence and describe the characteristics of injuries (TL and NTL) sustained in a girls' high school volleyball season. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Convenience sample of 78 high school interscholastic volleyball programs. Patients or Other Participants: Female high school volleyball players participating during the 2018 interscholastic season. Main Outcome Measure(s): Injury rates, proportions, and rate ratios were measured for TL and NTL injuries with 95% CIs. Results: A total of 2072 girls enrolled in the study, and 468 participants (22.5%) sustained 549 injuries (TL = 71.6%, NTL = 28.4%) for an overall injury rate of 5.31 (95% CI = 4.89, 5.79) per 1000 athlete-exposures. The competition injury rate was greater than the practice injury rate for all injuries (injury rate ratio [IRR] = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.00, 1.41) and TL injuries (IRR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.60). Players with a previous musculoskeletal injury had a higher rate of TL than NTL injuries (IRR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.12, 1.65). Ankle injuries accounted for the greatest proportion of TL injuries (n = 110, 28%), while the greatest proportion of NTL injuries occurred in the hand or fingers (n = 34, 22%). Ligament sprains accounted for 40% of TL injuries (n = 156), whereas muscle or tendon strains (n = 79, 51%) accounted for more than half of all NTL injuries. Conclusions: Although most injuries sustained by adolescent girls' volleyball athletes were TL in nature, nearly a third of all injuries were NTL injuries. Injury characteristics differed widely between TL and NTL injuries. Understanding the most common types and characteristics of injuries among high school volleyball players is critical for the development of effective injury-prevention programs.