Journal Article

Epidemiology of Non-Contact Muscle Injuries in the Italian Male Elite Under-19 Football (Soccer) Championship

Stefanini, Luca, Anania, Giuseppe, Abate, Michele, Del Fabro, Emilio, Battaglino, Paolo, Candoli, Piero, Bravin, Guido, Volpi, Piero, Mariani, Francesco, Stegagno, Andrea, Gaddi, Diego, Cugia, Paolo, Sirtori, Cristiano, Vecchini, Eugenio, Boldrini, Lorenzo, Lucchese, Pier Luigi, Cerrone, Annunziata, Biancalana, Giulio, Minetto, Marco A., Magistrali, Massimo, Filippi, Nicola, Berti, Mattia

2024

Overview

Background While extensive research exists on muscle injuries among adult football players, a notable gap persists in studies concerning younger footballers. The aim of the current study is to provide epidemiological data on the characteristics of time-loss muscle injuries in young football players participating in the Italian Under-19 male elite Championship (“Primavera 1”). Results Conducted as a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study, this research gathered injury data from the 2022-23 season across 14 of the 18 Clubs in the first Italian Under-19 championship. The cohort comprised 391 players with a mean age (± standard deviation) of 18.0 ± 0.4 years. A total of 479 injuries were reported, resulting in 14,231 days of activity lost. Of these, muscle injuries were 209 (44%), accounting for 4,519 (32%) days lost. Overall muscle injuries incidence was 1.82/1000 hours, with a mean injury burden of 39.4 days lost/1000 hours. Almost all muscle injuries (206 out of 209: 98.5%) occurred in hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors, calf and iliopsoas. Hamstrings injuries were the most burdensome (18.8 days lost/1000 hours) accounting for nearly half of all days lost due to muscle injuries. Incidence and burden of adductors injuries (0.25 injuries and 4.1 days lost/1000 hours, respectively) were found to be comparable to calf injuries (0.24 injuries and 4.7 days lost/1000 hours, respectively). Iliopsoas injuries accounted for a noteworthy portion of the total, with an injury incidence of 0.16/1000 hours and a burden of 3.3 days lost/1000 hours. Injuries with myo-tendinous or myo-aponeurotic involvement demonstrated delayed return-to-football compared to those without such involvement (35.6 vs. 18.5 days, p  < 0.0001). Conclusions The study highlighted a peculiar distribution of non-contact muscle injuries among elite young football players. While hamstring injuries were confirmed as the most burdensome, incidence and burden of adductors and calf injuries were found to be similar. A significant incidence and burden of iliopsoas injuries were observed. These findings suggest potential implementations for targeted injury prevention strategies in the Italian male elite Under-19 football Championship. Key points • In the Italian male elite Under-19 football Championship, each Club can expect around 15 non-contact muscle injuries during the season (for a team of 25 players) distributed as follows: 6 hamstrings, 3 quadriceps, 2 adductors, 2 calf and 1 iliopsoas muscle injuries. • Hamstrings injury incidence and burden (both in training sessions and during matches), as well as the proportion of reinjuries, were found to be the highest among muscle sites. • Injuries to adductors and calf muscles exhibited comparable values of incidence and burden. • Iliopsoas emerged as a noteworthy site of injury in the current cohort, particularly during training sessions. • Aponeurosis or tendon damage was associated with longer return to football timing, particularly in hamstrings and adductors injuries.

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V,SpringerOpen
• Subject: Adductors / Burden / Distribution / Epidemiology / Football / Hamstrings / Iliopsoas / Incidence / Injuries / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Original / Original Research Article / Sports Medicine