Profile of musculoskeletal injuries among young soccer players

Abstract

Soccer performance is characterised by diverse athletic demands and a high prevalence of sports injuries (SI). The current study aimed to describe the prevalence and sports injury characteristics among young soccer players. Casuistry was constituted of 10-17 aged soccer players who were divided into four (4) age groups: Sub-11; Sub-13; Sub-15; and Sub-17. Demographic and anthropometric parameters, as well as retrospective SI, were collected as dependent variables. Sub-17 exhibited higher SI cases prevalence, and Sub-11 reported greater SI incidence by injured participants (46.2 %); 50 cases (62.5 %) derived from training sessions. Inferior limbs were the main anatomical sites of SI onset, and ankle/foot constituted the main region related by participants (45.5 %). In terms of mechanisms, non-traumatic SI were the more prevalently related (55 %). Likewise, the asymptomatic return was more commonly reported, totalizing 57 cases (71.3 %). In conclusion, SI prevalence among young soccer players consisted of light cases on inferior limb sites in the ankle/foot and non-associated with medical support.