Soccer injuries in adolescents

Incidence of soccer injuries and their relation to training and team success

One hundred-eighty players in a male soccer senior division of 12 teams were observed prospectively for 1 year to study the risk of soccer injuries in relation to exposure and to establish the connection between training, injuries, and team success. Totally, more than 100 hours of practice were analyzed. All injuries were examined by the same orthopaedic surgeon. On the average, each team played 36 games and had 95 practice sessions with 66% attendance of selected players. A direct correlation was noted between team success and the amount of training. Teams with more than average training showed a diminishing number of injuries. A high practice-to-game ratio seems to be advantageous. One injury every third game and every ninth practice session was documented. For the individual player the incidence of injury was 7.6/1000 practice hours and 16.9/1000 game hours. The incidence of injury was higher at training camps. Correlation was noted between the design of the training and the incidence of injuries. The duration of warming up seemed adequate, but its content did not appear to be satisfactory from a clinical point of view. Redesign of the warm-up with more emphasis on flexibility and the addition of a cool-down is suggested to reduce injuries.

The adolescent athlete: a musculoskeletal update

Adolescent athletes are participating in new and popular sports. What are today's musculoskeletal concerns for these athletes? The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on what is currently known about the young athlete and how contributing factors of injury have changed accordingly. Preventative measures are included. A review of recent literature and discussions of the relevant anatomical concerns (musculoskeletal), issues and trends in sport, and sport medicine philosophies are provided. The summary suggests that because adolescent athletes are being exposed to new sports in different ways, critical questions concerning the effects of sports are essential to insure a safer athletic environment.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1983;5(1):20-25.

Cost of high school soccer injuries

This study examines the cost of high school soccer injuries. Data was collected from the files of the largest single insurer of secondary school students in six western states. Analysis was made through a specially programmed Qantel 1300 computer (Empire Computer Systems, Seattle, Washington). The average claim cost was $127.29 for injuries in 1976 to 1977, ranging from the lowest in Washington to the highest in California. During this period 436 claims from 10,634 players were reported. Relatively minor injuries (sprains, strains, contusions, and abrasions) accounted for 75.9% of all injuries but only 49.4% of all costs; lower extremity injuries accounted for more than one-half of all injuries and costs. Knee injuries alone represented 11.7% of all injuries--28.2% of all medical costs paid by the insurance companies. Injuries occur only one-fifth as frequently in soccer, compared with football. It is anticipated that medical expenses for soccer players will be less than 16% of expenses incurred by an equal number of football players.

Evaluation of injuries in youth soccer

Soccer has rapidly gained in interest in the United States. A paucity of available data on soccer injuries led us to formulate this study to quantitate and categorize injuries acquired during a program of youth soccer (under age 19). A prospective study of 1,272 players showed an injury rate of 2.6 injuries per 100 participants. The injury rate for girls was twice as great as for boys. The under 10-age group was seldom injured (less than 1 injury per 100 participants), but the overall injury rate in the players of secondary school age was 7.7 injuries per 100 participants. Most injuries were not serious. Soccer appears to be a safe activitiy for adolescents and children.