| Abstract: |
Objectives: This study aims to investigate the prevalence, patterns, and management strategies of golf‐related injuries among elite adolescent golfers, while also examining the relationship between training volume and injury occurrence. Design: Cross‐sectional survey study. Method: The study involved elite adolescent golfers (n = 56, response rate 73%) aged 10–19 years with a golf handicap index of ≤ 19, located in Western Australia. An electronic survey (Qualtrics) was utilised to collect retrospective data on injuries and training volume over the preceding 12 months. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarise the frequencies and proportions of participant responses, while logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate odds ratios and confidence intervals, assessing associations between participant characteristics, training practices, and injury risk. Results: The 12‐month injury incidence rates were 0.229, 0.624, and 0.100 per 1000 h dedicated to golf practice, competition, and their aggregation, respectively. The primary injury locations identified were the mid back (47.06%), ankle (29.41%), lower back (29.41%), and knee (23.52%). A total of 17 participants (30.36%) reported at least one injury, with 3 (17.65%) being recurrences. Of the documented injuries, 8 (47.00%) were classified as golf‐related, while 9 (52.94%) resulted from other activities. No significant correlation was found between training volume and injury risk (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.87–1.06). Conclusions: Elite adolescent golfers exhibited 30.36% injury prevalence with an incidence rate of 0.100 per 1000 h. Mid‐back (47.06%), ankle (29.41%), and lower back (29.41%) were most affected. Training volume showed no significant injury association (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.87–1.06), possibly due to limited sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |