Skip to main content

The Young Handball Player

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handball Sports Medicine

Abstract

Engaging in team handball at a young age has important physical health benefits but also involves risk of injury. Youth handball players may be particularly vulnerable to injury due to growth-related factors such as the growth spurt, susceptibility of the growth plate, and differing physiological response after training and match load. The more frequent and intensive training and competition of young elite handball players may create conditions under which these potential risks can more readily exert their influence. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a current overview of risks related to physical and psychological injury that may be encountered by youth handball players, especially in the elite youth setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 229.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. http://www.dosb.de/fileadmin/sharepoint/Materialien%20%7B82A97D74-2687-4A29-9C16-4232BAC7DC73%7D/Bestandserhebung_2016.pdf. Accessed 20 Aug 2017.

  2. Micheli LJ. Overuse injuries in children’s sports: the growth factor. Orthop Clin North Am. 1983;14(2):337–60.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Schorer J, Cobley S, Büsch D, Bräutigam H, Baker J. Influences of competition level, gender, player nationality, career stage and playing position on relative age effects. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2009;19(5):720–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Figueiredo AJ, Goncalves CE, Coelho ESMJ, Malina RM. Characteristics of youth soccer players who drop out, persist or move up. J Sports Sci. 2009;27(9):883–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Helsen WF, Baker J, Michiels S, Schorer J, van Winckel J, Williams MA. The relative age effect in European professional soccer: did ten years of research make any difference? J Sport Sci. 2012;30(15):1665–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Johnson A, Farooq A, Whiteley R. Skeletal maturation status is more strongly associated with academy selection than birth quarter. Science and Medicine in Football. 2017;1(2):157–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Müller L, Müller E, Hildebrandt C, Kapelari K, Raschner C. Die Erhebung des biologischen Entwicklungsstandes für die Talentselektion—welche Methode eignet sich? Sportverletz Sportschaden. 2015;29(1):56–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Stracciolini A, Friedman HL, Casciano R, Howeel D, Sugimoto D, Micheli LJ. The relative age effect on youth sports injuries. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(6):1068–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jayanthi NA, LaBella CR, Fischer D, Pasulka J, Dugas LR. Sports specialized intensive training and the risk of injury in young athletes: a clinical case-control study. Am J Sports Med. 43(4):794–801.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Newell A, Rosenbloom PS. Mechanisms of skill acquisition and the law of practice. In: Anderson JR, editor. Cognitive skills and their acquisition. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum; 1981. p. 1–55.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Simon HA, Chase WG. Skill in chess. Am Sci. 1973;61:394–403.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Baker J, Cobley S, Fraser-Thomas J. What do we know about early sport specialization? Not much. High Abil Stud. 2009;20(1):77–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ericsson KA, Charness N. Expert performance: its structure and acquisition. Am Psychol. 1994;49(8):725–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Wiersma LD. Risks and benefits of youth sport specialization: perspectives and recommendations. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2000;12(1):13–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. DiFiori JP, Benjamin HJ, Brenner JS, Gregory A, Jayanthi N, Landry GL, Luke A. Overuse injuries and burnout in youth sports: a position statement from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Br J Sports Med. 2013;48(4):287–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Brewer BW, Van Raalte JL, Linder DE. Athletic identity: Hercules’ muscle or Achilles heel? Int J Sport Psychol. 1993;24(2):237–54.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ryba TV, Aunola K, Kalaja S, Selanne H, Ronkainen NJ, Nurmi JE. A new perspective on adolescent athletes’ transition into upper secondary school: a longitudinal mixed methods study protocol. Cogent Psychol. 2016;3(1):1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Verkooijen KT, van Hove P, Dik G. Athletic identity and well-being among young talented athletes who live in a Dutch elite sport center. J Appl Sport Psychol. 2012;24(1):106–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Pieper HG. Humeral torsion in the throwing arm of handball players. Am J Sports Med. 1998;26(2):247–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Mayr HO, Zaffagnini S. Prevention of injuries and overuse in sports. Directory for Physicians, Physiotherapists, Sport Scientists and Coaches. Heidelberg: Springer; 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Andersson SH, Bahr R, Clarsen B, Myklebust G. Risk factors for overuse shoulder injuries in a mixed-sex cohort of 329 elite handball players: previous findings could not be confirmed. Br J Sports Med. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097648.

  22. Clarsen B, Bahr R, Andersson SH, Munk R, Myklebust G. Reduced glenohumeral rotation, external rotation weakness and scapular dyskinesis are risk factors for shoulder injuries among elite male handball players: a prospective cohort study. Br J Sports Med. 2014;48(17):1327–33.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Kristiansen E, Stensrud T. Young female handball players and sport specialisation: how do they cope with the transition from primary school into a secondary sport school? Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(1):58–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Booth FW, Thomason DB. Molecular and cellular adaptation of muscle in response to exercise: perspectives of various models. Physiological Review. 1991;71(2):541–85.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Viru A, Viru M. Nature of training effects. In: Garrett W, Kirkendall D, editors. Exercise and sport science. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Williams; 2000. p. 67–95.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Gunnarsson TP, Bendiksen M, Bischoff R, Christensen PM, Lesivig B, Madsen K, Stephens F, Greenhaff P, Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Effect of whey protein- and carbohydrate-enriched diet on glycogen resynthesis during the first 48 h after a soccer game. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013;23(4):508–15.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ispirlidis I, Fatouros IG, Jamurtas AZ, et al. Time course of changes in inflammatory and performance responses following a soccer game. Clin J Sports Med. 2008;18(5):428–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Krustrup P, Ortenblad N, Nielsen J, Nybo L, Gunnarsson TP, Iaia FM, Madsen K, Stephens F, Greenhaff P, Bangsbo J. Maximal voluntary contraction force, SR function and glycogen resynthesis during the first 72 h after a high-level competitive soccer game. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;111(12):2987–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Mohr M, Draganidis D, Chatzinikolaou A, et al. Muscle damage, inflammatory, immune and performance responses to three football games in 1 week in competitive male players. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016;116(1):179–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Nedelec M, McCall A, Carling C, Legall F, Berthoin S, Dupont G. Recovery in soccer: part I—post-match fatigue and time course of recovery. Sports Med. 2012;42(12):997–1015.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Tsubakihara T, Umeda T, Takahashi I, Matsuzaka M, Iwane K, Tanaka M, Matsuda M, Oyamada K, Aruga R, Nakaji S. Effects of soccer matches on neutrophil and lymphocyte functions in female university soccer players. Luminescence. 2013;28(2):129–35.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Akova B, Surmen-Gur E, Gur H, Dirican M, Sarandol E, Kucukoqlu S. Exercise-induced oxidative stress and muscle performance in healthy women: role of vitamin E supplementation and endogenous oestradiol. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;84(1–2):141–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wathen D, Baechle TR, Earle RW. Training variation: periodization. In: Baechle TR, Earle RW, editors. Essentials of strength training & conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2000. p. 513–27.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Chiu LZ, Barnes JL. The fitness-fatigue model revisited: implications for planning short-and long-term training. Strength Cond J. 2003;25(6):42–51.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Fatouros IG, Chatzinikolaou A, Douroudos II Nikolaidis MG, Kyparos A, Michailidis Y, Vantarakis A, Taxildaris K, Katrabasas I, Mandaladis D, Kouretas D, Jamurtas AZ. Time-course of changes in oxidative stress and antioxidant status responses following a soccer game. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(12):3278–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Dupont G, Nedelec M, McCall A, McCormack D, Berthoin S, Wisloff U. Effect of 2 soccer matches in a week on physical performance and injury rate. Am J Sports Med. 2010;38(9):1752–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Ekstand J, Walden M, Hagglund M. A congested football calendar and the wellbeing of players: correlation between match exposure of European footballers before the World Cup 2002 and their injuries and performances during that World cup. Br J Sports Med. 2004;38(4):493–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Brink MS, Visscher C, Arends S, Zwerver J, Post WJ, Lemmink KA. Monitoring stress and recovery: new insights for the prevention of injuries and illnesses in elite youth soccer players. Br J Sports Med. 2010;44(11):809–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Cross MJ, Williams S, Trewartha G, Kemp SP, Stokes KA. The influence of in-season training loads on injury risk in Professional Rugby Union. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2016;11(3):350–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Gabbett TJ, Whyte DG, Hartwig TB, Wescombe H, Naughton GA. The relationship between workloads, physical performance, injury and illness in adolescent male football players. Sports Med. 2014;44(7):989–1003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Gabbett TJ. The development and application of an injury prediction model for noncontact, soft-tissue injuries in elite collision sport athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(10):2593–603.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Hulin BT, Gabbett TJ, Lawson DW, Caputi P, Sampson JA. The acute:chronic workload ratio predicts injury: high chronic workload may decrease injury risk in elite rugby league players. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(4):231–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Blanch P, Gabbett TJ. Has the athlete trained enough to return to play safely? The acute:chronic workload ratio permits clinicians to quantify a player's risk of subsequent injury. Br J Sports Med. 2015;50(8):471–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Moller M, Nielsen RO, Atterman J, Wedderkopp N, Lind M, Sorensen H, Myklebust G. Handball load and shoulder injury rate: a 31-week cohort study of 679 elite youth handball players. Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(4):231–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Söderman K, Pietilä T, Alfredson H, Werner S. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in young female playing soccer at senior levels. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2002;12(2):65–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Achenbach L, Krutsch V, Weber J, Nerlich M, Luig P, Loose O, Angele P, Krutsch W. Neuromuscular exercises prevent severe knee injury in adolescent team handball players. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4758-5.

  47. Moller M, Attermann J, Myklebust G, Wedderkopp N. Injury risk in Danish youth and senior elite handball using a new SMS text messages approach. Br J Sports Med. 2012;46(7):531–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Nielsen AB, Yde J. An epidemiologic and traumatologic study of injuries in handball. Int J Sports Med. 1988;9(5):341–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Bjordal JM, Arnøy F, Hannestad B, Strand T. Epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in soccer. Am J Sports Med. 1997;25(3):341–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Walden M, Hägglund M, Werner J, Ekstrand J. The epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament injury in football (soccer): a review of the literature from a gender-related perspective. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2011;19(1):3–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Tak I, Weir A, Langhout R, Waarsing JH, Stubbe J, Kerkhoffs G, Agricola R. The relationship between the frequency of football practice during skeletal growth and the presence of a cam deformity in adult elite football players. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(9):630–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Whittaker JL, Woodhouse LJ, Nettel-Aguirre A, Emery CA. Outcomes associated with early post-traumatic osteoarthritis and other negative health consequences 3–10 years following knee joint injury in youth sport. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2015;23(7):1122–9.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Ajuied A, Wong F, Smith C, Norris M, Earnshaw P, Back D, Davies A. Anterior ligament injury and radiologic progression of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2014;42(9):2242–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Richmond SA, Fukuchi RK, Ezzat A, Schneider K, Schneider G, Emery CA. Are joint injury, sport activity, physical activity, obesity, or occupational activities predictors of osteoarthritis? A systematic review. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2013;43(8):515–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Myklebust G, Engebretsen L, Braekken IH, Skjolberg A, Olsen OE, Bahr R. Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female team handball players: a prospective intervention study over three seasons. Clin J Sport Med. 2003;13(2):71–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Olsen O, Myklebust G, Engebretsen L, Holme I, Bahr R. Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2005;330(7489):449.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Hoffmann M, Payne VG. The effects of proprioceptive ankle disc training on healthy subjects. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1995;21(2):90–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Wedderkopp N, Kaltoft M, Lundgaard B, Rosendahl M, Froberg K. Prevention of injuries in young female players in European team handball. A prospective intervention study. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 1999;9(1):41–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Soligard T, Nilstad A, Steffen K, Myklebust G, Holme I, Dvorak J, Bahr R, Andersen TE. Compliance with a comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in youth football. Br J Sports Med. 2010;44(11):787–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Myer GD, Sugimoto D, Thomas S, Hewett TE. The influence of age on the effectiveness of neuromuscular training to reduce anterior cruciate ligament injury in female athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2013;41(1):203–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Fabricant PD, Lakomkin N, Sugimoto D, Tepolt FA, Sracciolini A, Kocher MS. Youth sports specialization and musculoskeletal injury: a systematic review of the literature. Phys Sportsmed. 2016;44(3):257–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. LaPrade RF, Agel J, Baker J, Brenner JS, Cordasco FA, Côté J, Engebretsen L, Feeley BT, Gould D, Hainline B, Hewett TE, Jayanthi N, Kocher MS, Myer GD, Nissen CW, Philippon MJ, Provencher MT. AOSSM early sport specialization consensus statement. Orthop J Sports Med. 2016;4(4):2325967116644241.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  63. Krutsch W, Voss A, Gerling S, Grechenig S, Nerlich M, Angele P. First aid on field management in youth football. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2014;134(9):1301–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Finch C. A new framework for research leading to sports injury prevention. J Sci Med Sport. 2006;9(1–2):3–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Russel M, Sparkes W, Northeast J, Cook CJ, Bracken RM, Kilduff LP. Relationships between match activities and peak power output and Creatine Kinase responses to professional reserve team soccer match-play. Hum Mov Sci. 2016;45:96–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 ESSKA

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Achenbach, L. (2018). The Young Handball Player. In: Laver, L., Landreau, P., Seil, R., Popovic, N. (eds) Handball Sports Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-55892-8_39

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-55892-8_39

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-55891-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-55892-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics