The netball injury evidence base: a scoping review of methodologies and recommendations for future approaches

Sara Horne; Aliah Faisal Shaheen; Bill Baltzopoulos; Laura Hills

doi:10.1186/s13643-024-02629-7

The netball injury evidence base: a scoping review of methodologies and recommendations for future approaches

Syst Rev. 2024 Aug 1;13(1):203. doi: 10.1186/s13643-024-02629-7.

Authors

Sara Horne¹, Aliah Faisal Shaheen², Bill Baltzopoulos³, Laura Hills²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Life Sciences, Division of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK. Sara.horne@brunel.ac.uk.
² Department of Life Sciences, Division of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK.
³ School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Canterbury, UK.

Abstract

Background: Netball is a sport with a large participation base and a high risk of injuries. Effective injury prevention strategies are dependent upon a clear understanding of injury issues, aetiology and mechanisms, requiring robust research methodologies to ensure a reliable evidence base. This scoping review aims to identify the characteristics and range of netball injury research methodologies, to inform recommendations for future research.

Methods: A systematic search of SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Academic Search Complete, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, from 1985 to May 2023 identified relevant studies. Inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed studies assessing injury incidence, aetiology and mechanisms in netball.

Results: Following screening, 65 studies were included (68% descriptive epidemiology, 32% analytic epidemiology). Descriptive epidemiology reported data from hospital/clinic and insurance databases (57%) and netball competitions (43%). Only two studies used ongoing, systematic injury surveillance in netball cohorts, and significant heterogeneity existed in study designs, data collection methods, injury definitions and injury incidence rates calculations. Studies assessed a limited number of risk factors (descriptive competition studies: median: n = 4; analytic studies median: n = 6), with 76% using a simplistic reductionist approach to determine causality. Basic descriptions and retrospective recall of injury mechanisms reduced accuracy. Only two studies conducted comprehensive assessments of injury mechanisms using video-based methods.

Conclusion: To establish an accurate netball injury evidence base, future research should prioritise the development of reliable, continuous surveillance systems. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus statement guidelines are recommended for accurate injury data collection and reporting. A multifactorial approach should be adopted to assess the complex interaction between multiple risk factors, player load and the injury inciting event. Comprehensive descriptions of injury mechanisms using video methods, alongside descriptions from medical staff are recommended. This information is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Incidence; Injuries; Mechanisms; Netball; Risk Factors; Scoping Review; Sport.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Athletic Injuries* / epidemiology
Humans
Incidence
Risk Factors