Citation

Gallo RA. Sports Med. Arthrosc. 2024; 32(3): e119.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Raven Press)

DOI

10.1097/JSA.0000000000000410

PMID

39087699

Abstract

Soccer is the world's most popular sport. The sport requires a blend of speed, agility, guile, and endurance that attracts both audiences and participants. An estimated 4 billion fans follow, and up to 270 million players participate in soccer worldwide each year.1 The same unique combination of endurance, athleticism, and artistry that attracts audiences and participants can predispose soccer players to injury. Soccer claims the third highest injury rate among sports in the United States and trails only American football and martial arts.2 Among professional soccer players, injury incidence is 8.7 per 1000 hours of exposure and has a 4.1 times greater incidence during match play.3

Soccer's physical nature, with its high-intensity movements and endurance requirement, combined with the lack of protective equipment, presents challenges for providers hoping to safely return these athletes back to play. In this issue, Ravi et al, provide an overview of the most common injuries that befall soccer players. Due to the preponderance of lower extremity injuries among soccer players, the majority of the issue is devoted to thorough reviews involving some of the most frequently encountered musculoskeletal injuries affecting soccer players: anterior cruciate ligament injuries, meniscus injuries, patellar instability, and femoroacetabular labrum tears and groin injuries. Finally, Jordan et al address the current state of knowledge regarding the diagnosis and treatment of concussions. While these injuries commonly befall athletes of all sports, soccer poses unique obstacles for athletes seeking to return to play. Each article not only provides a comprehensive review of the topic but highlights the nuances of treatment and outcomes pertinent to those participating in soccer.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; *Athletic Injuries/therapy; *Soccer/injuries