Throwing volume in handball: differences across playing positions and training exercises?

Despite high prevalence of shoulder injuries in handball, little is known about the specific throwing loads that may contribute to injury risk. Therefore, this exploratory study aimed to quantify throwing volume in young elite handball players during regular training and to examine differences across playing positions and exercise types.

Sixteen healthy elite youth female handball players were monitored during four regular training sessions (381 minutes total). Training sessions were video recorded from three camera angles, and all throws were manually tagged per player as passes or shots. Training content was categorized into eight exercise types, and throwing frequency was calculated as throws per minute based on active exercise time.

Back players significantly throw more than wing or pivot players (175.9±60.1 vs 85.4±23 vs 105.8±22.8, p<0.001, η²≥0.45). Furthermore, throwing volume was strongly influenced by the type of training exercise (p<0.001, η²≥0.27). Highest passing volume was seen during passing exercises for all playing positions (back 38.5±13.9, wing 37±12.4, pivot 38±4.7), and most shots were performed during goalkeeper warming up (back 7.5±1.2, wing 7.7±0.9, pivot 7.5±1.3). Additionally, the number of both passes and shots was high during small-sided game exercises on half field with equal to or more than 4x4 players, with large positional differences.

Throwing volume in elite youth handball players varies substantially by playing position and training exercise. These findings highlight the importance of considering both positional demands and exercise structure when designing training programs, with potential implications for load management and injury prevention.