Epidemiological study of amateur soccer players: a 17-month study to determine injury and pain

Abstract

20 Injury can possibly change all athletes’ careers. To data, few epidemiological studies have been 21 made of amateur soccer players. More data is needed to allow medical professionals to develop 22 realistic injury prevention and conditioning programs for the amateur level. The purpose of this 23 study was to determine injury incidence, common injury types and body regions, and pain in 24 amateur soccer players. Soccer related injury and pain data were collected daily in June 2016 25 thorough October 2017 involved in 76 amateur soccer players from two teams. Overall injury 26 incidence was 69 injuries and 2.72/1000 player hours. Acute injuries were 52 (2.05/1000 player 27 hours) and 17 chronic injuries were 0.67/1000 player hours. Most of acute injuries occurred in 28 game period (1.99/1000 player hours). In terms of body regions, ankle (27.5%) was the most 29 common, followed by knee (15.9%), and Thigh (9.0%). Pain incidence was reported 1042 30 (41.10/1000 player hours). The highest pain incidence was reported in game period (36.9/1000 31 player hours). Common location of pain was foot/toe (5.80/1000 player hours), followed by 32 lateral ankle (5.21/1000 player hours), anterior thigh (3.98/1000 player hours), and groin 33 (3.27/1000 player hours). Type of injury, location of injury, and the higher incidence of injuries 34 during game as opposed to training were the same as other studies. Pain incidence rate was 35 higher than injury incidence. More epidemiological studies are needed to apply to amateur sports 36 to understand athletes’ injuries and pain and develop a better injury prevention strategy. 37