Table 2

Descriptive data of injuries and availability during 18 seasons of the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study

During trainingDuring matches
Injury incidence
 Injury incidence, injuries per 1000 hours of exposure (95% CI)3.4 (3.3 to 3.5)23.8 (23.2 to 24.4)
 Ligament injury incidence, injuries per 1000 hours of exposure (95% CI)0.5 (0.4 to 0.5)4.4 (4.2 to 4.7)
 Muscle injury incidence, injuries per 1000 hours of exposure (95% CI)1.3 (1.3 to 1.4)9.7 (9.3 to 10.0)
Injury severity
 Injury severity, average days absence (SD)18 (31)21 (34)
 Ligament injury severity, average days absence (SD)23 (42)32 (52)
 Muscle injury severity, average days absence (SD)15 (17)18 (20)
Injury burden
 Injury burden, days absence per 1000 hours of exposure60.5 (56.5–64.5)504.6 (475.6–533.6)
 Ligament injury burden, days absence per 1000 hours of exposure10.9 (9.2–12.6)141.0 (125.2–156.8)
 Muscle injury burden, days absence per 1000 hours of exposure20.0 (18.4–21.6)178.4 (164.7–192.1)
Reinjuries
 Overall reinjury incidence, injuries per 1000 hours of exposure (95% CI)0.4 (0.4 to 0.4)2.2 (2.0 to 2.3)
 Ligament injury reinjury incidence, injuries per 1000 hours of exposure (95% CI)0.1 (0.0 to 0.1)0.3 (0.3 to 0.4)
 Muscle injury reinjury incidence, injuries per 1000 hours of exposure (95% CI)0.1 (0.1 to 0.2)1.0 (0.9 to 1.2)
Injury absence
 Injury absence* (SD)11.2 (4.3)11.3 (4.4)
  • *Injury absence was expressed as the average percentage of players who were absent from trainings or unavailable for match selection due to injury.