Loads, Injuries and Illnesses Among Elite Handball Players

NCT05471297 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: PPDC-2022
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 189
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Primary goal of the research is to determine whether injury/illness occurrence is influenced by the academic, training and competition loads, as well as the overall load (sum of academic/work, training and competition loads) in elite handball athletes To examine whether subjective measures of perceived overall stress correlate with objectively measured levels of stress. Determine the benefits of certain biomarkers to monitor stress, load and injury/illness occurrence in athletes.

Conditions

Injuries; Illnesses Systemic; Illness, Chronic; Illnesses, Occupational; Psychological; Physical Illness; Physical Stress; Physical Injury; Physical Trauma; Social Stress; Athletic Injuries

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• The Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC)

  Injury and illness questionnaire

  12 months

• Load

  PHYSICAL, PSYCHOSOCIAL AND DUAL-CAREER loads

  12 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Biomarkers

  12 months

• Life Events Survey for Collegiate Athletes (LESCA) questionnaire

  12 months

Other Outcomes (1)

• Body composition

  12 months

Study Arms (1)

Handball players

Professional handball players

Other: There is no intervention

Interventions

There is no intervention OTHER

There is no any intervention

Handball players

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The first league handball players

You may qualify if:

• At least national-level handball players above 18 years of age, who are in a dual-career setting.
• Handball players older than 18 years old, who are competing at least at national level and are not in a dual-career setting will be matched by their demographic characteristics and included in the control group.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Ljubljana: lead

Study Sites (2)

Faculty of Sport

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1000, Slovenia

Location

Handball Clubs

Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Drole K, Paravlic A, Steffen K, Doupona M. Effects of physical, psychosocial and dual-career loads on injuries and illnesses among elite handball players: protocol of prospective cohort study. BMJ Open. 2023 Mar 2;13(3):e069104. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069104.

  PMID: 36863744 BACKGROUND

• Drole K, Busch A, Paravlic A, Doupona M, Steffen K. Prevalence, incidence and burden of health problems across playing positions in elite male handball players: a 45-week prospective cohort study. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025 Apr 5;11(2):e002460. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002460. eCollection 2025.

  PMID: 40195973 DERIVED

• Drole K, Steffen K, Paravlic A. Slovenian Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Content Validation of the Updated Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H2). Orthop J Sports Med. 2024 Nov 13;12(11):23259671241287767. doi: 10.1177/23259671241287767. eCollection 2024 Nov.

  PMID: 39539687 DERIVED

Related Links

• Link to a study protocol

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITHOUT DNA

Blood samples will be taken to investigate the levels of testosterone, cortisol and IgA hormones during a single competitive season

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Wounds and Injuries; Chronic Disease; Occupational Diseases; Athletic Injuries

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Kristina Drole, MSc

  Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Supervisor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 17, 2022
• First Posted: July 22, 2022
• Study Start: July 20, 2022
• Primary Completion: June 4, 2023
• Study Completion: September 1, 2023
• Last Updated: November 18, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Locations

SL (2)