Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center

Intoduction

Arni Árnason will defend his PhD-dissertation: "Injuries in football; Risk factors, injury mechanisms, team performance and prevention" for the degree Doctor Scientiarum at Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education on monday the 6th of September, 2004.

Árni Árnason will defend his PhD dissertation on Monday the 6th of September.

Árni Árnason was born the 6th of February at Laugarvatn, Island.Árni went to take his PT education at the University of Island, and is additionally specialist in sports physiotherapy.Árni finished his masters degree at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education spring 1993.

Arni started his PhD period at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education in 1999. Professor dr. med. Roald Bahr at the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education has been his supervisor. The purpose of the doctoral work was to study injuries in elite Islandic male football players. This implied mapping the different risk factors for injuries, whether there exist relationships between physical fitness, injuries and

team performance. Additionally, Árni and co-workers studied player situations that led to injuries as well as testing a video-based intervention program for reduction of acute injuries.

The participants in the study consisted of male football players from the two top divisions on Iceland. The first part of the project was conducted in 1991, but the majority of the data collection took place in the period 1999-2000. The findings suggested that the injury incidence among male elite football players on Iceland is high, with hamstrings strains as the most common injury type. Previous injuries and age were the most important risk factors. There was a strong tendency between total days of absence from sport due to injury and final team standings. 57% of the risk situations that were identified on video could be classified to three different injury mechanism scenarios, where the players' attension and technique were critical factors. However, no effect was found from a video based intervension program designed to increase the players attension towards preventive strategies in these situations.

Comity:

Professor dr. scient Kari Bø, the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education, leader

Professor dr. med. Jon Karlsson, the University og Gothenburg
Førsteamanuensis dr. med. Torbjørn Grøntvedt, the University Hospital of Trondheim

Program:

Kl. 10.15 -  11.00
Introductory lecture: Should football players do stretching exercises? A scientific-based analysis.

Kl. 13.00 -  16.00
PhD-defence with discussion