Adolescent Soccer Overuse Injuries: A Review of Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Management.

Abstract

Introduction: Overuse injuries are a growing concern among adolescent soccer players, with the repetitive nature of the sport placing significant physical demands on young athletes. These injuries can have long-term implications for physical development, performance, and overall well-being. This narrative synthesis aimed to evaluate the existing literature on the epidemiology, risk factors, and management strategies for overuse injuries in adolescent soccer players.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Embase. A total of 123 articles were identified, 27 of which met the inclusion criteria after screening. Studies focusing on overuse injuries in adolescent soccer players aged 10-18 years were included, while those addressing acute injuries, non-soccer populations, or adult athletes were excluded. Relevant quantitative and qualitative data were extracted and evaluated. Due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes, findings were narratively synthesized rather than meta-analyzed.

Results: The period around peak height velocity (PHV: 11.5 years in girls, 13.5 years in boys) was consistently identified as a high-risk window, with seven studies demonstrating a significantly increased incidence of overuse injuries. Additional risk factors included leg length asymmetry, truncal weakness, early sport specialization, high ratios of organized-to-free play, and increased body size. Injury burden was greatest for hamstring and groin injuries, often leading to prolonged time lost from play. Preventive interventions such as plyometric training, trunk stabilization, and structured load monitoring demonstrated reductions in injury incidence in several prospective studies, though protocols varied widely.

Conclusion: This narrative synthesis highlights PHV as the most consistent risk factor for overuse injuries in adolescent soccer players, alongside modifiable contributors such as training load, sport specialization, and free play balance. Evidence supports neuromuscular training and structured monitoring as promising preventive strategies, but there remains a lack of standardized, evidence-based protocols. Future research should focus on optimizing and validating interventions, integrating growth and load monitoring, and leveraging emerging approaches such as machine learning-based risk prediction.