Physician and Sportsmedicine最新文献

{"title":"In-competition injury epidemiology and associated injury risk factors among South African junior provincial rugby players: a prospective cohort study.","authors":"Kyle Meyer, Daniel Garnett, Dina C Janse van Rensburg, Lizelle Fletcher, Carel Viljoen","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2669463","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2026.2669463","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Epidemiological studies in rugby are vast for senior elite professional players, though the same cannot be said for junior elite professional players, thus limiting stakeholders' ability to formulate effective injury risk management strategies for this population.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and associated injury risk factors among elite male junior provincial rugby players in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Training and match play injury data was prospectively collected during a 10 week Under-21 (u21) and a 3 week Under-19 (u19) in-competition period. Injury prevalence (% of injured participants), incidence (injuries/1000 h), clinical characteristics (anatomical region, pathology type, injury severity and injury event) and risk factors associated with injury (baseline injury, age and playing position) formed part of the primary outcomes of the study.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>U21 male participants (45.38/1000 h) had a higher injury incidence than u19 male participants (42.20/1000 h). Injuries to the lower limb were most common for both u19 (50.6%) and u21 (51.1%) participants. Muscle/tendon injuries (50.8%) occurred most often.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall u21 male participants had a higher injury prevalence and incidence than u19 male participants during the in-competition period. Injuries to the lower limb and muscle/tendon type injuries were mostly effected.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147845993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Medial elbow joint space gap after 100 pitches and early multi-sport participation in high school baseball players: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Kenta Suzuki, Yasuaki Mizoguchi, Seita Hasegawa, Koji Saito, Ko Yanase, Toby Hall, Kiyokazu Akasaka","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2667726","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2026.2667726","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate whether 100 consecutive pitches induce clinically meaningful increases in medial elbow joint space gap (MJS) in high school baseball players and to examine associations with player characteristics, including early multi-sport participation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a randomized controlled trial, 34 healthy male high school baseball players were allocated to a pitching group (<i>n</i> = 17) or a control group (<i>n</i> = 17). The pitching group threw 100 fastballs at maximal effort, whereas controls rested for an equivalent duration. MJS was measured by ultrasonography before and after pitching or rest. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for MJS change (mm and %) was calculated using a distribution-based method (0.5 × SD of the pitching group's MJS increase). Group × time effects were tested using a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA, and univariate analyses explored relationships between MJS change and participant characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No significant group × time interaction was observed (<i>p</i> = 0.427). In the pitching group, MJS increased by 0.2 ± 1.1 mm (8.3 ± 24.6%), remaining below the MCID thresholds (0.55 mm; 12.3%). Early multi-sport experience during elementary school was associated with smaller MJS expansion (<i>p</i> = 0.009), and the number of non-baseball sports correlated negatively with MJS change (<i>r</i> =  -0.628, <i>p</i> = 0.007). No associations were found with pitch velocity or body composition.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A single bout of 100 pitches did not produce clinically meaningful MJS widening in high school baseball players. However, early multi-sport participation was related to reduced MJS expansion, suggesting that diversified sport experience may be an important background factor when refining pitch-count guidance.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychological well-being and aggression in handball players: examining the mediating role of exercise addiction.","authors":"Muhammed Güler, Akgün Yeşiltepe, Ceyhun Topcuoğlu","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2667725","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2026.2667725","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological well-being and aggression among handball players and to determine whether exercise addiction mediates this relationship.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design was used. The population consisted of players competing in the Turkish Handball Leagues during the 2024-2025 season, and 442 athletes participated using a non-probability sampling method. Data were collected via an online survey including a personal information form, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and the Exercise Addiction Inventory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Psychological well-being showed a significant negative correlation with aggression (<i>r</i> = -0.242, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Exercise addiction was positively associated with both psychological well-being (<i>r</i> = 0.212, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and aggression (<i>r</i> = 0.105, <i>p</i> = 0.027). Mediation analysis indicated that exercise addiction significantly and partially mediated the relationship between psychological well-being and aggression (indirect effect 95% CI: 0.0246-0.1654). The direct effect of psychological well-being on aggression remained significant (β = -0.7093, <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Higher psychological well-being was associated with lower aggression among handball players, whereas exercise addiction was associated with both higher psychological well-being and higher aggression and emerged as a partial statistical mediator of this relationship. These findings may help inform future studies and preventive strategies focusing on athlete mental health and behavioral regulation. However, because of the cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be drawn.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subacromial bursitis is associated with short-term response to ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection in rotator cuff disorders.","authors":"Kemal Faruk Koruklu, Murat Karkucak, Gamze Kilic, Erhan Capkin","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2666842","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2026.2666842","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Rotator cuff disorders (RCD) are among the most common causes of shoulder pain and functional limitation in clinical practice. Ultrasound (US)-guided subacromial corticosteroid injections are frequently used as a conservative treatment option for symptom relief in these patients. This study aimed to investigate the impact of subacromial bursitis on treatment outcomes following these injections.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-center observational study included 55 adult patients diagnosed with RCD who underwent US-guided subacromial corticosteroid injections. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence of subacromial bursitis, as determined by ultrasound imaging. The primary outcome was the change in pain intensity, measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included changes in shoulder function (Constant-Murley Score, CMS), disability (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, SPADI), and shoulder range of motion (ROM). Comparative statistical analyses were conducted to assess pre- and post-injection changes between groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients with subacromial bursitis showed significantly greater improvements in pain (VAS, <i>p</i> = 0.009), shoulder function (CMS, <i>p</i> < 0.001), disability (SPADI, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and ROM (<i>p</i> < 0.001) at the three-week follow-up compared to those without bursitis. Apart from age, no significant differences were observed in sex, symptom duration, or baseline clinical scores (VAS, CMS, SPADI, ROM) (all <i>p</i> > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Subacromial bursitis may be associated with a better short-term response to US-guided corticosteroid injections in RCD patients and could serve as a potential predictive marker for favorable outcomes. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and assess long-term effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147788499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Boxing injuries treated in United States emergency departments, 2000-2023.","authors":"Jenna Tsuzaki, Sandhya Kistamgari, Jingzhen Yang, Lindsay Sullivan, Dominique M Rose, Gary A Smith","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2661569","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2661569","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objective of this study is to investigate the characteristics and trends of boxing injuries treated in United States (US) emergency departments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a retrospective cohort study design, data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for 2000-2023 were analyzed, including estimated national boxing injury frequencies and annual population-based rates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>An estimated 362,869 boxing injuries were seen in US emergency departments from 2000 to 2023 with a 46.6% nonlinear increase in the boxing injury rate per one million US population from 4.38 in 2000 to 6.42 in 2023. Injuries were most common among males (87.5%) and individuals 18-24 years old (34.7%). Fractures were the most frequent diagnosis (24.6%), followed by soft tissue injuries (21.2%), and sprains/strains (20.9%). Concussions/closed head injuries accounted for 6.9% of injuries and were more likely to be admitted to the hospital (risk ratio [RR]: 4.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.54-7.51) than other diagnoses. Concussions/closed head injuries were also comparatively more common among younger age groups, accounting for 11.7% of injuries among children 6-11 years old. Most (86.6%) injuries occurred during practice or training. Competition-related injuries were more likely to involve the head/neck region (RR: 2.66, 95% CI: 2.25-3.15), be diagnosed as concussion/closed head injury (RR: 3.30, 95% CI: 2.58-4.22), or be admitted to the hospital (RR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.43-4.03) than injuries occurring during practice or training. The most frequent injury mechanisms were 'struck opponent or object' (55.8%) and 'struck by opponent' (14.6%), while 'fall' was the mechanism associated with the highest proportion of hospital admissions (4.6%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Treatment of boxing injuries in US emergency departments is increasing, and concussions/closed head injuries disproportionately affect the vulnerable pediatric age group. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the epidemiology of boxing injuries, which will help inform targeted injury prevention efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Descriptive epidemiology of pediatric tennis injuries: insights from a decade of national data.","authors":"Francesca Docters, Auston R Locke, Matthew D Ramey, Uma Balachandran, Sheena Ranade","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2662837","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2662837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Tennis is a sport which can result in a range of injuries due to the extensive use of both the upper and lower extremities during play. Although tennis injuries are described in the literature, data specifically characterizing injury patterns in pediatric populations remain limited. This study aims to identify the epidemiology of pediatric tennis injuries presenting to US emergency departments (ED) over the past 10 years through both a sex and age specific analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) wQuery ID:AQ1 Page No:1 Query ID:AQ2 Page No:1 Query ID:AQ3 Page No:2 Query ID:AQ4 Page No:3 Query ID:AQ5 Page No:3 Query ID:AQ6 Page No:4 as queried for pediatric (2-18) tennis injuries presenting to U.S. EDs from 1 January 2014-31 December 2023. Patient demographics, injury site, diagnosis, and disposition were recorded. National estimates (NE) were calculated using the NEISS statistical sample weight. Differences in injury distributions by age and sex were evaluated using Rao-Scott adjusted chi-square tests. Individual injury frequency differences across subgroups are presented descriptively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1,672 NEISS cases were identified, corresponding to an estimated 48,378 pediatric tennis-related injuries. Sprains/strains were the most commonly observed diagnosis among both sexes, followed by contusions/abrasions and fractures. Ankles were the predominant body part afflicted in sprains/strains and overall. Within contusions/abrasions, the face and eyeball were most commonly affected across sex and age subgroups. Children most commonly had lacerations and facial injuries, while adolescents most commonly had strains/sprains and ankle injuries. The distribution of injury types and locations significantly differed between males and females, and children and adolescents (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Fewer than 1% of injuries required hospitalization following ED presentation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sprains/strains were the most common injuries, with distinct age-related patterns observed, including a higher proportion of facial injuries in children and ankle injuries in adolescents. Most injuries were minor, reflecting a relatively safe injury profile. These findings highlight potential targets for injury prevention strategies, such as protective eyewear and neuromuscular training.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147718989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does wearing headgear influence risk compensation in adolescent female lacrosse?","authors":"Virginia Tinkey, Jason Edsall, Malaika Turner, Kim Barber Foss","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2661570","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2661570","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The implementation of a headgear mandate in girls' lacrosse has encountered concerns that the use of headgear may lead to risk-taking behaviors, thereby causing more aggressive gameplay. This study aims to investigate perceptions of headgear use and the potential effect of headgear on risk compensation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adolescent female aged 13-19 years participating on a high school or club girls' lacrosse team completed a Qualtrics survey consisting of questions about age, years of experience, player position, headgear use, the effect headgear would have on their gameplay and completed the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 315 survey responses were collected. The average age of participants was 17 ± 1.5 years, with 46% possessing 1-3 years of experience. A total of 61.9% of participants reported not wearing headgear. The average Brief Sensation Seeking Scale score across all participants was 2.96 ± 0.86, with 3.14 ± 0.89 in the headgear group and 2.84 ± 0.82 in the non-headgear group, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between headgear groups (<i>p</i> = 0.002) with a moderate effect size [t(311) = -3.08]. Significant positive correlations were found between headgear use and BSSS score (<i>r</i> = .17, <i>p</i> = .022, 95.00% CI = [.06, .27]), headgear use and age (<i>r</i> = .32, <i>p</i> < .001, 95.00% CI = [.22, .42]), and BSSS scores and age (<i>r</i> = .20, <i>p</i> = .002, 95.00% CI = [.10, .31]).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A relationship between headgear use and BSSS scores was confirmed through multiple statistical approaches, with headgear wearers consistently showing higher risk perception scores than non-headgear wearers. This finding persisted even when controlling for other variables, suggesting that headgear usage may positively influence safety awareness among female lacrosse players.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploration of injuries among male athletes in the Mongolian National Basketball League: 2022/2023-2024/2025.","authors":"Baasankhuu Erdenee, Naoya Wada, Namuun Ganbaatar, Hinata Nakamata, Koki Hashimoto, Rie Nakazawa, Tsuyoshi Tajika","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2659556","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2659556","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Basketball is a high-intensity contact sport with a substantial risk of injury. However, epidemiological data on injuries in Mongolian basketball players remain limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology, mechanisms, and burden of injuries in the Mongolian National Basketball League (MNBL) over three consecutive seasons.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted on 374 male professional basketball players during the 2022-2023 to 2024-2025 seasons. Injury data and athlete exposures (AEs) were collected using standardized medical reporting forms. Incidence rates (IR) per 1,000 AEs, injury rate ratios (IRRs), and injury burden (days lost per 1,000 AEs) were calculated with 95% Poisson-based exact confidence intervals (CIs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 105 injuries were recorded during 28,804 AEs. The overall IR was 3.65 (95% CI: 3.00-4.41). The injury risk was significantly higher during games (IR: 7.45) than in training (IR: 2.49), with an IRR of 2.99 (95% CI: 2.04-4.39, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The ankle was the most frequently injured anatomical site (32.38%; IR: 1.18), and sprains were the most common injury type (32.38%; IR: 1.18). Player-to-player contact was the primary injury mechanism (53.33%), showing a five-fold higher risk in games than in training (IRR = 5.48, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Moderate and severe injuries predominated (87.62% of total injuries), contributing to a substantial injury burden of 91.55 days lost per 1,000 AEs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Professional basketball in Mongolia is characterized by a high risk of injury during competitive play, particularly contact-related injuries. The prolonged recovery times and high severity of injuries highlight the critical need for evidence-based prevention, including neuromuscular control training, and the enhancement of on-court medical infrastructure to optimize athlete safety and professionalization in the MNBL.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147693699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Training-related injury patterns and return-to-sports in elite fencing athletes: a prospective cohort study.","authors":"Hyun-Chul Kim, Ki-Jun Park","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2653988","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2653988","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To prospectively examine training-related injury incidence, anatomical distribution, and return-to-sports according to sex, weapon category, injury onset (acute vs. overuse), and tissue type in elite fencing athletes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective injury surveillance study followed elite fencing athletes training at a high-performance facility for 12 months. All acute and overuse training-related injuries were recorded using the International Olympic Committee injury report form. Injury incidence was calculated per 1,000 training hours. Injury location, tissue type, injury onset, and return-to-sports were analyzed according to sex and weapon category.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 471 injuries were recorded, yielding an overall incidence of 3.22 injuries per 1,000 training hours. Overuse injuries demonstrated a significantly higher incidence than acute injuries (2.59 vs. 0.63 injuries per 1,000 training hours; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Female athletes had a higher injury incidence than male athletes (3.86 vs. 2.66 injuries per 1,000 training hours; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Saber athletes exhibited the highest injury incidence, followed by epee and foil athletes. The lower extremity was the most frequently injured region (57.54%). Return-to-sports differed significantly by sex, injured body region, and tissue type (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with ligament injuries requiring the longest return-to-sports duration (<i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Elite fencing athletes experience a substantial burden of training-related injuries, with overuse injuries predominating during training exposure. Injury patterns and return-to-sports vary according to sex, weapon category, and tissue type. These findings support the development of sex- and weapon-specific injury prevention strategies, particularly targeting lower extremity injuries and ligament-related time loss.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147629129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Match schedule variability, not volume, is associated with severe muscle injury in elite football.","authors":"Haneef A Khan, Najeeb Baig, Ilyaas Rasheed, Amina Khan","doi":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2657258","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00913847.2026.2657258","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims and objectives: </strong>To determine whether week-to-week schedule variability predicts severe muscle injury in elite football when controlling for absolute workload, and to evaluate this relationship using a time-varying exposure model.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 30,097 player-seasons from Europe's top five leagues between 2012 and 2024. Match schedule variability was calculated using a 4-week rolling window for every week of the season. Match schedule variability, defined as the Coefficient of Variation (CV) of weekly match minutes over the same 4-week rolling window; this term is used consistently throughout to refer to this operational measure. We used logistic regression with clustered standard errors to estimate the odds of severe muscle injury (>28 days absence) in the subsequent week, controlling for mean workload, age, position, and time-varying injury history.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Analysis of total volume revealed that rolling match workload was not significantly associated with injury risk (Adjusted OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.99-1.15, <i>p</i> = 0.102). However, schedule variability emerged as an independent risk factor. In multivariable models adjusting for rolling workload, age, position, and prior injury history, a one-standard-deviation increase in 4-week Schedule Variability (CV) was associated with increased odds of severe muscle injury (Adjusted OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16, <i>p</i> = 0.02).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Schedule instability is associated with increased injury risk. Injury prevention strategies should consider prioritizing load smoothing over simple volume restriction.</p>","PeriodicalId":51268,"journal":{"name":"Physician and Sportsmedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147629122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}