Injuries in men's amateur soccer

How common are sports injuries in men's amateur soccer?

The incidence of injuries in amateur male soccer players is estimated to range from 2.72 to 36.9 injuries per 1,000 hours of exposure. Most of these injuries are acute, indirect (non-contact) events that most frequently involve injuries to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The most common injury mechanisms are high-speed running and changes of direction. The most commonly affected general anatomical sites are the lower extremities, specifically the posterior thigh (up to 91% according to the study reviewed, primarily the hamstring muscles), knee, ankle, and hip/groin.
This high injury rate described in various epidemiological studies on sports trauma is accompanied by a particularly high recurrence or relapse rate, ranging from 14% to 33%, primarily in muscle injuries, ankle ligaments, and tendinopathies of the lower extremity.
This high recurrence rate highlights the special attention that should be given to the first injury. Recognizing that the resources available in amateur soccer are limited compared to professional soccer, the implementation of strategies to reduce these injury recurrences is essential.

At what point in the game do sports injuries occur in men's amateur soccer?

Various publications on sports traumatology highlight certain aspects more specific to amateur soccer regarding the timing of injuries. A higher incidence of injuries is common at the end of training sessions and in the second half of matches. There are a higher number of injuries in competition compared to training sessions (up to 7 times more), and at certain times of the season, with peak injury incidence occurring in the months of October and February.

How can sports injuries be prevented in men's amateur soccer?

All of this data indicates that appropriate prevention strategies and training load management are likely required, focusing on the preseason and the return from the Christmas break, moments prior to peak injury incidence.
Regarding the increased injury incidence in the final periods of competition and training, it may be attributed to fatigue and reflects the need for improved physical conditioning or better load management in training.
On the other hand, the players' youth and lack of commitment to participating in specific injury prevention exercises in addition to their weekly training program can be a handicap, which can be counteracted by incorporating injury prevention strategies into their daily training routines.

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