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JOURNAL
OF
SPORTS SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
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Research
article
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INJURY INCIDENCE IN A SPANISH SUB-ELITE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY DURING FOUR CONSECUTIVE SEASONS |
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Javier Mallo  ,
Pablo González, Santiago Veiga and Enrique Navarro |
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Faculty of Exercise and Sport Science, Technical University of Madrid, Spain |
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© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2011) 10, 731 - 736 |
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| ABSTRACT | |||
| The aim of this study was to investigate the injury incidence
and injury characteristics of a Spanish sub-elite professional football
team during four consecutive seasons. A team was followed prospectively
from the season 2003-2004 to 2006-2007 and individual player exposure and
time loss injuries were recorded during all club training sessions and matches.
A total of 313 time-loss injuries were recorded. The mean injury incidence
was 10.9 injuries/1000 hours (5.2 injuries/1000 training hours and 44.1
injuries/1000 match hours). The injury incidence during competitive matches
was higher (p < 0.001) than in friendly matches (55.8 vs. 22.6 injuries/1000
hours). The incidence of major injuries (>28 days absence) was 0.4 injuries/1000
hours. The thigh was the most commonly (35%) injured region and caused 29%
of all competitive match absence. Muscle injuries in the four main groups
of the lower limbs (hamstrings, adductors, quadriceps and calf muscles)
caused 43% of competitive match unavailability. The results of this study
show that the risk to sustain a major injury in the course of the season
was low for sub- elite footballers in comparison to elite players. Thigh
strains were the first cause of absence in competition due to injury. Key words: Soccer, epidemiology, hamstrings, match play. |
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