Charles University in Prague

Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Subject: Compensatory Exercises Lecturer: Eva Prokeov Students: Ciprian Corduneanu & Fabienne Bartsch

Compensatory Exercises in handball 1. General information Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team. The game is very fast and allows body contact as the defenders try to stop the offensive players from approaching the goal. Actually contact is only allowed when the defensive player is completely in front of the offensive player, nevertheless there are contacts from the side and from behind. This can be dangerous. Unlike in basketball where players are allowed to commit only five fouls in a game, handball players are allowed an unlimited number of faults to interrupt the rhythm of the attacking team. Fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct It is permitted: a) to use an open hand to play the ball out of the hand of another player; b) to use bent arms to make body contact with an opponent, and to monitor and follow him in this way; c) to use ones trunk to block the opponent, in a struggle for positions. Nevertheless there happen many fouls which are not permitted. Here are some examples: fouls that are committed with high intensity or against an opponent who is running fast; holding on to the opponent for a long time, or pulling him down; fouls against the head, throat or neck; hard hitting against the torso or throwing arm; attempting to make the opponent lose body control (e.g., grabbing the leg/foot of an opponent who is jumping) running or jumping with great speed into an opponent. These fouls and situations without body contact (ankle twisting e.g.) can cause injuries. 2. Injuries According to a study of the Ruhr-University in Bochum it can be said that in Europe 320.000 injuries per year are caused by playing handball. Fingers, shoulders as well as ankles and knee joints are the most injury-proned party of the body in this sport. Men are often injured at the knee (23%), at the hands (19,8%) at the ankle (18,6%) and at the head (17,4%). Women are especially hit by knee (31,7%) and ankle (22,1%) injuries.

ankle joint: demaged ligaments, Achilles tendon rupture, fracture or luxation of ankle bones (external/internal malleolus, calcaneus) because of wrong or too aggressive landing on the foot after a jump; knee joint: most often occurs ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury, because of quickly starts and stops, changing directions, landings; lower back chronical pain because of twists during throwing and recovering the ball when it is rolling on the floor; shoulder and elbow also chronical injuries because of hyperextension when the player throws the ball; wrist and fingers acute injury, when the player tries to catch the ball or is hit very hard.

3. Stretching a) Upper limbs Basic position: stretched arm is raised above the head, hand between the scapulae, head as prolongation auf the spine, not moved to the front Procedure: hand of the non-stretched arm pushes the elbow of the stretched arm lightly to the ground b) Upper limbs Basic position: upper arm is moved to the breast bone in a horizontal position, forearm is hold across, elbow: ca. 90-flection, hand in a acromion-position, pectoral girdle says down Procedure: stretched elbow is pulled in the direction of the shoulder joint of the other arm c) Upper limbs Preparation: united hands back through the overlap of the fingers, palms facing outwards.Lean forward. Execution and final position = stretch your arms as long and lean body until it becomes parallel to the ground. d) Chest muscles Preparation: sit in front of the door frame (or a free wall), perpendicular to it. Raise arm to shoulder height and bend it to 90 degrees. Stick the inside shoulder and arm to the wall. Execution and final position = lean body forward, so that the shoulder be pushed back.Rotate the thorax in the opposite arm against the wall. e) Lower limbs and lower back Preparation: standing, cross your legs (so the sides of the feet touching). Bend and keep your knees in extension. Execution and final position - try to touch your toes or the floor, without body sway. If there is pain in the thighs or back, dont force. f) Legs muscles Preparation: squatting position (full squat) put one foot under the body, the knee to the floor.

Execution and final position - lean slightly forward so the knee to overcome fingertips

4. Stabilization Upper limb and shoulder: Basic position: theraband is fixed at shoulder height at a ledder, arm is abducted from the body (120), band is holded above shoulder height, band is spanned with stretched arm Procedure: stretched arm is fast led to the front, slow movement back like throwing a ball, to improve the excentric power Knee joint: a) Basic position: partner exercise: one person is standing on one foot, the knee is flexed, the other leg is extended to the back, arms are extended to the side, the spine is straight Procedure: the partner moves the flexed knee carefully and slowly to front/back/to the sides Variations: with closed eyes, on a mat (different underground) b) Basic position: quadruped position on the pezzi ball, a partner is watching and belaying the situation Procedure: sitting up in the knee position by removing the hands from the ball, it tis possible to hang on the partner c) Procedure: the group is slowly running through the gym, when a special signal is sounded (e.g. clapping) the students directly have to stop, stand on one leg and hold the position Dynamic stabilization Variations: different signals and different positions to hold (e.g. one clap: right foot, two claps: left foot) d) Basic position: standing on one foot, knee is flexed Procedure: the person has to do some handball-specific exercises like dribbling the ball with the left/right hand; throwing the ball against a wall etc.