PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of field and on-ice performances of ice-hockey players and the relationship of performance with subjective joint pain and dysfunction. METHODS A total of 25 male college icehockey players were evaluated for 19 items of performance. Pain and dysfunctions in the lower extremities and lower back were confirmed through the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Hip Dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and Osweatry Disability Index questionnaire. Players with similar performance characteristics were classified through a cluster analysis, and differences in performance and patient-reported outcomes between clusters were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS The ice-hockey players were classified into “lower muscular strength and performance (cluster 1),” “lower cardiorespiratory endurance (cluster 2),” and “high muscular strength and performance (cluster 3).” Players in cluster 1 had more frequent ankle and knee joint dysfunctions and pain compared to those in cluster 3. Several performance test items affected the subjective joint score, and the related performance items were more in the proximal joint than in the distal joint. CONCLUSIONS Ice hockey players should perform training to supplement their individual lack of on-ice and field performance. Since performance may be limited because of joint dysfunction and pain, a joint-specific intervention strategy should be applied to improve physical and athletic performances.
PURPOSE This study aimed to identify movement pattern differences in the running of youth soccer players with and without lateral ankle sprain (LAS) histories. METHODS A total of 12 participants were recruited and assigned to the LAS group or the control group. All participants were assessed for anthropometric data, and they filled in the subjective ankle function questionnaires. Then, reflective markers were attached to their bodies, and they were instructed to run at the preferred speed on the 9-m runway thrice. 3D joint angles for ankle, knee, and hip joints were exported, and their mean values and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Ensemble curve analysis was conducted to compare running kinematics between the groups. RESULTS The LAS group exhibited fewer dorsiflexion angles and more inversion angles compared to the control group. Excluding the dorsiflexion deficits and more inverted ankles, there were no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Although the ankle kinematic patterns found in this paper are not considered LAS risk factors, it will be able to identify precise LAS risk factors with prospective design (e.g., lower extremity movement patterns) as well as intrinsic risk factors.
PURPOSE The aims of this study were to prospectively investigate the seasonal incidence and epidemiological characteristics of sports injuries according to peak height velocity (PHV) status among Korean male adolescent soccer players and to examine the interaction effect between maturity and activity type on detailed injury patterns. METHODS A total of 70 middle-school soccer players participated in this prospective cohort study. Based on 6-month height velocity, players were categorized into Circa-PHV (n=43) and Post-PHV (n=27) groups. Details regarding anthropometrics, exposure hours, and all musculoskeletal injuries were collected using the IOC Injury and Illness Surveillance Guidelines. Injury incidence (per 1000 athlete-exposures, AE) and relative risk were analyzed using Poisson regression and descriptive statistics. RESULTS A total of 125 injuries were recorded. Poisson regression revealed no significant main effect of maturation on overall injury incidence (p=.944). However, a significant interaction effect was detected between maturation and activity type for noncontact injuries (p=.020), with the Circa-PHV group exhibiting the highest incidence during matches (84.39/1000 AE). Matches posed a 15.6-fold higher injury risk than training (IRR=15.59, 95% CI: 10.49–23.18, p<.001). Regarding injury types, the Post-PHV group showed a 2.5-fold greater risk of muscle strains than the Circa-PHV group (IRR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.09–5.53, p=.029). CONCLUSIONS PHV is a critical determinant of injury risk and patterns in adolescent soccer players. Circa-PHV represents a vulnerable window for noncontact injuries under high-intensity match demands, and Post-PHV is characterized by a transition toward increased muscle strain risks. These results emphasize the need for maturation-informed load management and individualized prevention strategies to ensure athlete safety and long-term performance.
