Incidence of injuries in elite French youth soccer players: a 10-season study.
BACKGROUND
Research on age-related injury incidence in elite youth soccer is needed to identify high-risk groups.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence of soccer-related injuries in elite French youth players based at the Clairefontaine Football Center.


METHODS
Cohort study (Prevalence); Level of evidence, 1.


METHODS
Injuries sustained by players in the younger than 14-, 15-, and 16-year-old age groups during 10 seasons were diagnosed and documented by a sports physician according to type, location, severity, the date the injury occurred, and playing position.


RESULTS
Altogether, 1152 injuries were documented across all age groups with 69.1% and 30.9% sustained during training and matches, respectively. A total of 4.8 injuries per 1000 hours' exposure time were recorded and 11.2 and 3.9 injuries per 1000 hours for matches and training, respectively. There was no significant difference in injury frequency between age groups. The youngest group sustained more training injuries (P < .05) and osteochondroses (P < .05) and fewer match injuries than did the oldest group. Injury incidence varied throughout the season, peaking in September in all groups. The majority of injuries lasted less than 1 week (60.2%), contusions were the predominant injury type (30.6%, P < .05), and the upper leg was the site most often injured (24.5%, P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Those players younger than 14 years incurred more injuries in training and sustained more growth-related overuse disorders. Older players were more often injured during matches. Injury incidence and the frequency of overuse disorders were highest early in the season.
Le Gall
Franck
F
Institut National de Sport et de l'Education Physique, 11 Avenue du Tremblay, Paris, 75012, France.
Carling
Christopher
C
Reilly
Thomas
T
Vandewalle
Henry
H
Church
Julia
J
Rochcongar
Pierre
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*