Jun 27, 2016Study Examines Water Polo
In a survey of USA Water Polo members, more than one-third of respondents reported having experienced at least one concussion. This survey is one of the first to look into concussions among water polo players.
According to an article from Science Daily, more than 1,500 people completed the survey that asked about head impacts, symptoms, and concussions. Goalies reported the highest rate of head injuries, with more occurring during practices than in games.
In terms of playing level, 51.3 percent of those who reported college as the highest playing level had suffered at least one concussion—higher than high school (31 percent) and masters club (43.1 percent) levels. Almost half (43.5 percent) of females and about one-third (30.8 percent) of males reported having a concussion during play.
“We found that concussions are not uncommon in water polo and that level of play, field position and gender are critical factors in determining the risk of concussion in the sport,” James Hicks, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at University of California-Irvine and director of the Exercise Medicine & Sport Sciences Initiative told Science Daily. “As the first epidemiological examination of head trauma in water polo, our study calls attention to the need for further research.”
