The purpose of the study was to analyse the incidence and types of lower-limb injuries in young Slovenian national handball players and to examine the relationships between injuries and factors such as age, playing position, and the implementation of preventive and strength training. The study included 62 players from different age categories. Data were collected on their anthropometric characteristics, training-related variables, and recorded injuries. The analysis was conducted using cross-tabulations and the χ² test to identify statistically significant associations between variables.
The results showed that knee-related injuries were the most common, particularly injuries to the patellar ligament and menisci. No statistically significant differences in injury incidence were found between age groups (p = 0.89), nor was a relationship confirmed between the implementation of preventive training and the occurrence of lower-limb injuries. The highest number of injuries was recorded in the U19 age group, while by playing position, injuries were most frequent among backcourt players and pivots.
The findings highlight the need for structured, age-appropriate preventive programmes that could help reduce the risk of lower-limb injuries in young handball players.
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