TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Injury incidence in a Spanish sub-elite professional football team: a prospective study during four consecutive seasons
JO  - Journal of sports science and medicine
A1  - Mallo, Javier
A1  - González, Pablo
A1  - Veiga, Santiago
A1  - Navarro, Enrique
SP  - 731
EP  - 736
VL  - 10
IS  - 4
N2  - The aim of this study was to investigate the injury incidence and injury characteristics of a Spanish sub-elite professional football [soccer] 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 pointsThe incidence of major injuries (absence greater than 4 weeks) was lower in a Spanish sub-elite football team than in elite European teams.The risk of sustaining an injury was 2.5 fold higher (p < 0.001) in official than in friendly matches.Lower limb muscular (hamstrings, quadriceps, hip adductors and calf muscles) and joint (knee and ankle) injuries were the main causes of match unavailability.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1303-2968
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -