Association of Cognitive Function and Water Polo Exposure with Sports Injuries in Youth Water Polo Players.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Prosthodontics, Study of Dental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Split, Šoltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia.
- 2University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia.
- 3Croatian Water Polo Federation, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
- 4Study of Dental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia.
- 5Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia.
- 6Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia.
Abstract
Background: Water polo is a sport that combines substantial physical contact with high cognitive demands, exposing athletes to sports-related injuries, including head and orofacial trauma. This study investigated associations between cognitive performance, cumulative water polo exposure and injury history in youth water polo players. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 161 youth water polo players (103 males, 58 females; mean age 15.76 ± 1.53 years). Sports-related injury history was assessed using an online questionnaire. Cognitive performance was evaluated with the computerized Stroop test. Sport exposure time (years of official water polo participation) and number of games played were extracted from the official Croatian Water Polo Federation database. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age and sex; additional head injury models were adjusted for years of participation. Results: A history of overall sports-related, head and orofacial injury was reported by 93 (57.8%), 65 (40.4%) and 51 (31.7%) players, respectively. Participants with head injury history had lower Stroop OffTime (55.90 ± 6.46 s vs. 58.56 ± 8.72 s, p = 0.028) and OffTime + OnTime (118.63 ± 16.10 s vs. 125.10 ± 22.11 s, p = 0.033) in unadjusted comparisons. However, the Stroop test measure was not independently associated with head injury history after adjustment. Each additional year of water polo participation was associated with 34% higher odds of reporting head injury history (aOR = 1.34, 95%CI 1.08-1.65, p = 0.007), while number of games played was not independently associated with any injury history outcomes. Conclusions: Within the limits of the cross-sectional design, longer participation in water polo, used as an indirect measure for cumulative exposure, appears more strongly associated with head injury history than the cognitive measures assessed. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporal relationships and evaluate future injury risk.
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BibTeX
@article{galic2026association,
title = {{Association of Cognitive Function and Water Polo Exposure with Sports Injuries in Youth Water Polo Players.}},
author = {Tea Galić and Ana-Marija Vukas and Frane Mihanović and Neven Kovačević},
journal = {Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/jfmk11040411},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924690},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association of Cognitive Function and Water Polo Exposure with Sports Injuries in Youth Water Polo Players.
AU - Tea Galić
AU - Ana-Marija Vukas
AU - Frane Mihanović
AU - Neven Kovačević
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology
DO - 10.3390/jfmk11040411
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924690
AB - Background: Water polo is a sport that combines substantial physical contact with high cognitive demands, exposing athletes to sports-related injuries, including head and orofacial trauma. This study investigated associations between cognitive performance, cumulative water polo exposure and injury history in youth water polo players. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 161 youth water polo players (103 males, 58 females; mean age 15.76 ± 1.53 years). Sports-related injury history was assessed using an online questionnaire. Cognitive performance was evaluated with the computerized Stroop test. Sport exposure time (years of official water polo participation) and number of games played were extracted from the official Croatian Water Polo Federation database. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age and sex; additional head injury models were adjusted for years of participation. Results: A history of overall sports-related, head and orofacial injury was reported by 93 (57.8%), 65 (40.4%) and 51 (31.7%) players, respectively. Participants with head injury history had lower Stroop OffTime (55.90 ± 6.46 s vs. 58.56 ± 8.72 s, p = 0.028) and OffTime + OnTime (118.63 ± 16.10 s vs. 125.10 ± 22.11 s, p = 0.033) in unadjusted comparisons. However, the Stroop test measure was not independently associated with head injury history after adjustment. Each additional year of water polo participation was associated with 34% higher odds of reporting head injury history (aOR = 1.34, 95%CI 1.08-1.65, p = 0.007), while number of games played was not independently associated with any injury history outcomes. Conclusions: Within the limits of the cross-sectional design, longer participation in water polo, used as an indirect measure for cumulative exposure, appears more strongly associated with head injury history than the cognitive measures assessed. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporal relationships and evaluate future injury risk.
SN - 2411-5142
ER -