Coetzee, F. F.Langeveld, EmileHoltzhausen, L. J.2015-09-022015-09-022010-092010-092010-09http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1124English: Netball is a sport that places high physical demands on players. Quick acceleration, changing of direction, high jumps to receive a ball or to intercept an opponent’s pass is some of the tasks that players are required to perform. These requirements leave the players vulnerable to injury. From international studies it is clear that netball players have an increased risk to sustain injuries to the lower limbs. The ankle is the joint most likely to be effected. Injuries to the ankle can account for more than 80% of all netball injuries. The ligaments are the most commonly injured structures. Due to a lack of literature on injuries in South-African netball players, injury patterns in South-Africa cannot be compared to international trends. Epidemiological studies provide the proof on which risks for specific sporting codes are assessed as well as the success of therapeutic intervention programs. The aim of the study was therefore to assess the incidence and severity of injuries in a cohort of elite South-African netball players. The subjects were all the players (n = 1280) that participated in three elite netball tournaments during the 2009 season. The medical staff of each team completed a questionnaire for each player that sustained an injury during the three tournaments. The completed questionnaires were collected at the adjournment of each days play. For those players whose teams did not have their own medical officer, completed questionnaires were collected from the First Aid station where the players received medical attention. Most injuries occurred to the ankle joint (36%) followed by the knee (18%) and injuries to the fingers, hand and wrist (15%). There was a high total injury rate of 500.7 injuries per 1000 playing hours, but the severity of injuries were low, with the majority of the participants being able to continue play or being available for the next match. In order to reduce the amount of injuries to the lower extremities it is recommended that netball players follow a structured program aimed to enhance proprioception and optimize biomechanical execution of functional movement patterns. These exercises should not only be done as part of the pre-season program but continued throughout the remainder of the season.Afrikaans: Netbal is ʼn sport wat hoë fisieke vereistes aan die spelers stel. Hierdie vereistes stel die spelers bloot aan beserings. Dit is dus van uiterste belang dat beheerliggame moet toon dat hulle bewus is van die risiko’s van die sport en dat stappe geneem is om die risiko’s te beperk. Daar kon geen studies in die literatuur gevind word, wat toon wat die beserings tendense by Suid-Afrikaanse netbalspelers is nie. Epidemiologiese studies verskaf die bewyse waarop risiko’s bepaal word asook die effektiwiteit van voorkomende terapeutiese intervensie. Die proefpersone was al die spelers (n = 1280) wat aan die nasionale toernooi vir Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite, die nasionale toernooi vir o/19 en o/21 spelers, sowel as die nasionale kampioenskappe vir seniorspelers. ʼn Beseringsvraelys is gebruik om inligting van elke besering in te samel. Spanbestuurders en afrigters is die aand voor die aanvang van elke toernooi op geskeduleerde vergaderinge toegespreek om die doel van die navorsing te verduidelik sowel as om hulle met instruksies vir die voltooiing en administrasie van die vraelys te voorsien. Die vraelyste wat voltooi is, is dan tydens ʼn geskeduleerde vergadering met die spanbestuurders aan die einde van elke dag se spel ingesamel. Die mees algemene plek van beserings was die enkelgewrig (36%). Dit word gevolg deur die knie (18%), besering aan die pols, hand en vingers (15%). Die beseringsinsidensie was 500.7 beserings per 1000 speelure. Die direkte waarskynlikheid dat ʼn speler beseer sal word, was bereken op 0.16 per speler. Die beserings was egter nie van ʼn ernstige aard nie en die meerderheid spelers kon onmiddellik spel voortsit. Dit is noodsaaklik om afrigters bewus te maak van die waarde van propriosepsie-, biomeganiese- en kernstabiliteitsoefeninge. Hierdie komponente is van uiterste belang vir die kondisionering van netbalspelers. Hierdie oefeninge moet nie net aan die begin van die seisoen gedoen word nie, maar deur die hele seisoen gevolg word.afNetball injuries -- South AfricaNetball injuries -- South Africa -- PreventionProprioceptionBiomechanicsEpidemiology -- Reserach -- South AfricaDissertation (M.A. (Human Movement Studies))--University of the Free State, 2010Neuromuscular controlInjury riskInjury preventionDissertationUniversity of the Free State