Sport injuries in professional volleyball players

Recently there has been a considerable surge in interest in volleyball by both physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons. Only few previous studies specified the nature, frequency, and demographics of volleyball injuries. The study was conducted during two league seasons. After the approvals of local bioethics committee and clubs` authorities, contact with the club's doctors was established. A special survey was designed to standardize the process of acquiring data on a weekly basis. One-hundred-and-ninety-eight women and 301 men were under supervision of the research group. On average, 45% of all players (56% males and 26% females) suffered from injuries and musculoskeletal disorders over two seasons. Relatively high incidence of injuries during matches was between 17.3 and 33.8 injuries per each 1000 hours of playing. Almost 50% of musculoskeletal problems occurred in the first phase of the season. Over 50% of musculoskeletal problems were reported during trainings. The blockers are the most affected players in both sex groups. Acute injuries mainly involved knee and ankle joints, while chronic problems affected knee, shoulder, spine and abdominal muscles. Professional volleyball is not a safe sport, especially during a league season. Attention should be especially paid to ankle, shoulder and knee joints, which are the most commonly injured structures. The study revealed that blockers were the most susceptible to injuries and should be protected by special training regime. These findings can help to prepare sports medicine personnel and to guide further related research to prevent injuries among volleyball professionals.