Injury and Illness Surveillance at the 2024 Hockey Australia U/18 National Championships

Background There is a paucity of research examining injury in field hockey athletes compared to other sports such as Australian football and soccer. The injury profile of pre-elite Australian hockey athletes is unknown. Purpose The primary aims of this research were to (1) determine the prevalence of injuries/illnesses at the start of a tournament and following an 8-day tournament; (2) describe injuries/illnesses and injury incidence rates at the 2024 U/18 Hockey Australia Championships (HAC). Secondary aims were to (1) assess whether the drag flicking hockey skill is correlated with injury and (2) compare athlete self-report injury/illness surveillance method with first aid observer injury reporting. Study Design Prospective observational cohort study Methods Four hundred and twenty-nine female and male athletes competing at the 2024 U/18 HAC were invited to participate. Two injury/illness surveillance methods were adopted: 1) athlete self-report and 2) third-party recording. The self-report method involved athletes completing the Modified Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Questionnaire at the start and end of the tournament. The existing third-party method required the first aid officer to record injuries/illnesses they observed. Descriptive analysis of injuries/illnesses was completed. Logistical regression was used to assess the relationship between drag flicking and injury. Results Three hundred and ninty-eight athletes participated (16-18yo, 50% male, 50% female). At the end of the tournament, self-report data identified 126 athletes that experienced 203 injuries (96 sports incapacity [SI] injuries) and 44 athletes had an illness (4 SI illnesses). Sixty-nine females sustained 122 injuries (58 SI injuries) and 57 males sustained 81 injuries (38 SI injuries). The third-party method of injury tracking captured 13 injuries during the tournament while the self-report method identified 135 injuries. The most frequently injured area was the lower limb: knee (n = 30), followed by the lower leg/achilles (n = 27) and ankle (n = 23). There was no relationship between drag flicking and injury (aOR 1.44 (95%CI 0.83 to 2.48), p = 0.19). Conclusion There was a high injury rate at the 2024 U/18 HAC. Females sustained more injuries and at a higher rate compared to males. Lower limb injuries were most frequent, providing clear direction for injury prevention strategies.