Epidemiology of injuries and illnesses in national team male beach soccer players: a prospective seven-year cohort study.

Abstract

To evaluate the incidence and characteristics of injuries and illnesses among elite-level national male beach soccer players over a seven-year-period. Injuries and illnesses were documented in accordance with the 'Football-Specific Extension of the IOC Consensus Statement: Methods for Recording and Reporting Epidemiological Data on Injury and Illness in Sport'. A sports medicine physician recorded all cases during training camps and tournaments of the Turkish national male beach soccer team from 1 January 2018, to 1 January 2025. Across 36 camps (382 days, 90 matches, 338 training sessions), 282 injuries (72 time-loss) and 180 illnesses (9 time-loss) were recorded among 45 players. Time-loss injury incidence rates were 51.7/1000 hours (h) in matches and 6.8/1000 h in training. The thigh was the most frequently injured body area leading to time-loss during matches (18.45/1000 h), while the foot was most affected in training (1.76/1000 h). Muscle/tendon injuries were the leading cause of time-loss in both settings (18.45 and 3.52 injuries/1000 h, respectively). Concussion incidence in matches was 7.38/1000 h. Fractures and meniscus injuries resulted in the highest injury burden (132.72 and 129.03 days/1000 h, respectively). The time-loss illness incidence was 1.6 illnesses/1000 player-days. This study highlights the relatively unique injury patterns of beach soccer, with the thigh and foot most frequently affected areas and muscle/tendon injuries the leading cause of time-loss in both matches and training. The findings also emphasize the high burden of knee and head injuries, particularly concussions, and suggest tailored prevention strategies are needed. Future research with more diverse cohorts is warranted.