Occupational injury in Spanish professional roller hockey during two seasons: a comparative study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and severity of the injuries suffered in two roller hockey teams, one professional and one amateur, in one of the most powerful leagues in the world, during two seasons in two different divisions. Comparative study between two roller hockey professional teams of different status: first division (professional) and regional division (amateur). The sample consisted of 10 professional players and 13 amateur players, whose injuries were recorded prospectively during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons. Of the 88 injuries registered, 15.4% were considered mild, 50% moderate and 34.1% serious. The incidence of moderate injuries was higher in the professional compared to the amateur team (65% vs. 37.5), while serious injuries were superior in the amateur team (45% vs. 20%). The most frequent injury in both divisions was muscle-related. The most common mechanism of injury was traumatic, mainly affecting the upper extremity. The vast majority of injuries are caused by stick and/or puck strokes and generally occur during competitions. The results obtained show that in roller hockey the professional status can be a determining factor of the injuries. In the professional field, there are more moderate injuries while in the amateur field the injuries are much more serious. Furthermore, these results confirm that the risk of injury in the workplace is considerably higher in roller hockey than in most other sectors. It becomes necessary to review and modify the regulations, enforcing more security measures and making clubs analyze the importance of developing injury prevention strategies.