Mapping Injury Characteristics in Australian Field Hockey-A Nationwide Survey of 1474 Players

Field hockey is a popular sport in Australia and worldwide. However, there is limited evidence investigating the most frequent injuries and mechanisms of injury in Australia. We aimed to identify the location and characteristics of injuries of field hockey players in Australia in the 2023 winter season.

Cross-sectional.

We sought to recruit field hockey players aged ≥14 years in Australia who played the winter season in 2023. We used a self-report survey to collect information about demographics, participation and facilities access, previous injury history, and injuries sustained during a season.

We included 1474 (906 [61.6%] female) players including all states and territories of Australia. Juniors (≤18 y) were the most common competition group to complete a warm-up (92.5%) or structured injury prevention program (25.2%). Previous anterior cruciate ligaments ruptures were reported by 7.6% of participants and previous major and minor concussions were reported by 12.5% and 34.4% of participants, respectively. Over half of participants (52.8%) reported at least 1 injury during the 2023 winter season. The knee was the most common injured body part (14.4%) and overuse/insidious onset was the most common injury mechanism (19.5%). Head and face injuries were reported by 10.2% of participants, including 6% concussions.

We have reported the location and characteristics of frequent hockey injuries in Australia during the 2023 winter season. Priority areas for injury prevention include increasing participation in warm-up and injury prevention activities and protecting the head and face due to the risk of concussion.