Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.64542/pc1.20.4
Exploring seasonal and organisational determinants of injury recurrence and burden in Croatian football and handball
Elvir Gosić
; Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
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* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Background: Sports injuries challenge team sports by affecting athletes’ availability and training. Seasonal and organisational factors may influence the occurrence, recurrence, and cumulative burden of injury. The aim of this paper is to explore the association between seasonal and organisational factors and injury recurrence and burden among Croatian male football and handball players.
Methods: This secondary exploratory analysis included 203 male athletes (114 football players and 89 handball players) competing in national leagues. Analysed variables included sport type, training volume, season phase, and access to a club physiotherapist. Associations between season phase and injury were analysed using chi-square tests; odds ratios (ORs) and relative risks (RRs) were estimated to explore links between organisational factors and recurrent injuries.
Results: Injuries occurred more frequently during the competitive phase of the season (58.9%) compared with the preparatory phase (41.1%) (χ²(1)=10.68, p=0.001, OR≈2.05). Teams with access to a physiotherapist reported fewer recurrent injuries (43.9%) compared with teams without physiotherapy support (60.0%), corresponding to a 27% lower relative risk (RR=0.73), although the difference did not reach statistical significance. The estimated injury burden ranged between 7 and 11 lost weeks of training or competition per athlete annually, corresponding to approximately 15–20% of a standard competitive season.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the competitive phase of the season may be associated with increased injury risk, while regular physiotherapy support may contribute to reducing injury recurrence and cumulative absence from sport. Continuous physiotherapy involvement, workload monitoring, and structured injury surveillance may be important for maintaining athlete health and season availability.
Ključne riječi
Soccer; Handball; Athletic Injuries; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation
Hrčak ID:
350470
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.9.2026.
Posjeta: 0 *