Health problem surveillance at the 17/U & 19/U Australian national netball championships

Surveillance of health problems at the 2019 17/U & 19/U Australian Netball National Championships (ANNC) and compare this data with the 2018 17/U & 19/U ANNC. Determine the rate for risk of low energy availability and poor sleep quality in athletes competing at the 2019 ANNC.

Prospective observational cohort study.

One hundred and ninety-two netball athletes were observed during a six-day tournament. Injuries were defined in three ways: 1) self-reported, 2) medical attention, and 3) sports incapacity. Medical attention health problems were recorded prospectively by the 16 team physiotherapists during the tournament and athlete self-reported health problem data was collected on four occasions (pre-tournament, post-tournament, 1-week post tournament and 4-weeks post tournament) using their smartphones. The same method was also used for health problem surveillance at the 2018 17/U & 19/U ANNC. Athletes also completed the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Ninety-five medical attention injuries were sustained by 73 athletes, at an incidence rate of 82.5 injuries/1000 player competition hours. Ankle sprains (n ​= ​16) and lumbar pain (n ​= ​12) had the highest incidence of medical attention injuries. Thirty per cent of athletes started the tournament with a self-reported health problem. Twelve sports incapacity injuries were recorded, with concussion (n ​= ​5) and ACL rupture (n ​= ​4) the most frequent. Fifty percent of athletes who completed the LEAF-Q were identified as being at risk of having low energy availability and 57% of PSQI respondents demonstrated poor sleep quality. There was no association between injury and athletes who were identified as being at risk of low energy availability or having poor sleep quality.

Ankle sprains, lumbar pain, and foot blisters are the most frequent medical attention injury and concussion, and ACL rupture were the most frequent sports incapacity injuries in pre-elite netball athletes. Also, a high number of athletes were identified as being at risk of low energy availability (n ​= ​76, 50%) and poor sleep quality (n ​= ​74, 57%). These athletes were not at higher risk of injury compared to those that were not identified as being at risk of low energy availability and poor sleep quality.