Field hockey, a physically demanding Olympic sport, carries a high risk of lower
limb injuries, yet data on injury risk in elite field hockey are limited.
Functional knee stability is important for injury prevention and a safe return
to sport. This study is the first to investigate functional knee stability in
elite field hockey, considering gender and playing class, and establishes
reference data for functional knee stability by using a standardized test
battery that assesses one- and two-legged stability, jumping tests, speed, and
agility. Seventy-two elite field hockey players, 30 males and 42 females (age
19.82±3.74 years) were divided into High Playing Class (HPC) and Moderate
Playing Class (MPC). HPC players showed significantly better performance in all
functional tests except balance tests (p<0.01–0.024). Females showed
significantly better one- and two-leg stability (p<0.01) with lower
injury rates, indicating the relevance of gender considerations. The study
emphasizes the importance of balance and stability in the prevention of lower
limb injuries in Olympic field hockey and also highlights the importance of
considering pre-existing deficits in functional knee capability when assessing
athletes for return to sport. These results can help improve athletic
performance, identify individual strengths and weaknesses, prevent injury or
re-injury, and facilitate return to sport after injury.
Keywords
knee function - functional test battery - return to sport criteria - field hockey
- reference data
Bibliographical Record
Lucie Hiepen, Niklas Bosserhoff, Florian Schaudig, Falko Heitzer, Marcus Jäger, Constantin
Mayer. Functional Knee Stability in Elite Field Hockey Depends on Playing
Class and Gender. Sports Med Int Open 2025; 09: a24172488.
DOI: 10.1055/a-2417-2488
