Injury prevention target groups in soccer: Injury characteristics and incidence rates in male junior and senior players

Abstract

To identify target groups for injury prevention in male amateur soccer players under 35 years of age. A computer-assisted telephone survey with a 12-month recall period for injuries in a representative sample of Dutch citizens from the Injuries and Physical Activity Netherlands (IPAN)-database. A comparison of the volume of soccer injuries, the incidence and the need for medical attention per level of exposure and age category. The incidence in seniors was twice that of juniors (17.5% versus 8.1%; odds ratio (OR = 2.4). In juniors the overall incidence was lowest in the category with the least amount of soccer exposure time (0–3 h: 2.9%; 3–5 h: 13.0%; 5+ h: 12.3%). A comparable result was found in seniors: (0–3 h: 12.0%; 3–5 h: 21.6%; 5+ h: 21.5%). Within each level of soccer exposure, a different incidence was found in juniors and seniors (0–3 h: OR = 4.6; 3–5 h: OR = 1.8; 5+ h: OR = 1.9). Ankle, knee and upper leg injuries were most common (59.9%). Contusions, strains and sprains dominated (78.1%). Body region and type of injuries were similar in both age categories. Medical treatment for injuries was equally necessary in both age groups. Senior male amateur soccer players and particularly the more skilled seniors (involved in soccer at least 3 h per week), should be primarily targeted for studies on injury risk factors and prevention programs.

Introduction

Worldwide, soccer may be considered as the most popular organized sport with an estimated 240 million amateur players and about 200,000 professionals.¹ In the Netherlands, more than 1 million males, i.e. one in every eight Dutch male, participate in soccer. The incidence rate per 1000 h and the percentage of medically treated soccer injuries have been among the highest of all sports.² A more recent epidemiological study of medically treated sports injuries in the Netherlands again substantiated this earlier finding, showing the high volume and severity of soccer injuries when compared to eight other high-risk sports representing 17 age and sex-specific target groups younger than 55 years.³ Particularly the male soccer players under 35 years of age sustained a significant number of medically treated sports injuries, and showed a high contribution to the direct and indirect costs related to sports injuries in general. As a part of the first step in the prevention sequence,4, 5 male soccer players under 35 years of age have been identified as an important high risk group, which stimulated both the Dutch government and the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) to put an effort into the development of injury prevention programs.

In the Netherlands, male soccer under 35 years of age represents a very large group of players (N = 800,000; KNVB 2009 personal communication). This group may not be homogeneous in terms of incidence and injury characteristics and skill levels. Multiple target groups may exist, possibly demanding different preventive strategies. The group incorporates two major subcategories: junior players (4–17 years) and senior players (18–34 years). Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify homogeneous groups of soccer players at greater odds of sustaining an injury to be targeted in future injury prevention programs.