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Knee Pain Among Spikeball Athletes and Their Relationship With Sex: A Basis for an Injury Prevention Protocol

Abstract

Spikeball, a growing sport blending volleyball and handball, attracts competitive and casual players. This study explored knee pain prevalence among 35 spikeball athletes (17 male, 18 female) to understand its relationship with sex and develop injury prevention strategies. The study used a cross-sectional, correlational research design that took a quantitative approach. Purposive sampling was used to gather respondents, and a self-made questionnaire was utilized, conducted both online and face-to-face. The Chi-squared test along with regression and frequency analysis revealed no significant relationship between knee pain and gender, but older women with higher BMI tended to be more prone to knee pain. Out of the thirty-five respondents, five reported knee pain after two months of play. The study emphasized the need for further research due to limited sample size, aiming to develop a more effective injury prevention protocol. Specific findings suggested that pre-game (warm-ups) and post-game (cooldowns) activities were associated with a lower likelihood of knee pain among spikeball athletes. KEYWORDS: spikeball, athletes, sex, knee pain, injury prevention protocol