Purpose

The objective was to evaluate the effect of a psychological group-based injury prevention, which was implemented throughout the first season, after the second season, in Swedish elite floorball teams (males and females). The secondary objective was to evaluate the effect of the intervention over the two consecutive floorball seasons as a whole.

Methods

Twenty-three teams in the premier leagues for males and females volunteered and were allocated to an intervention group, n = 175 players, and a control group n = 171 players. The intervention group participated in psychological skills training during the first season. The control group did not receive any alternative treatment. Neither of the groups received any intervention during the second season. All injuries were registered and documented according to time-loss definition and classified into either traumatic or overuse injuries.

Results

Ninety-three players (27 %) sustained 119 injuries during the second season. The intervention group 0.31 (95 % CI 0.22–0.39) and the control group 0.41 (95 % CI 0.29–0.53) injuries/player. The injury incidence decreased in the intervention group and was lower than the control group. The analysis showed no statistical differences when comparing the intervention group and the control group neither after the second season nor after the two seasons together, Cohen’s d 0.2.

Conclusion

This group-based training showed a small effect size after the second year resulting in fewer injuries, especially severe injuries, in the intervention group compared to the control group. It is, therefore, important not to overlook the potential of a group-based psychological injury prevention programme.

Level of incidence: II.

© 2014, European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy (ESSKA).