Injuries in women's soccer: a 1-year all players prospective field study of the women's Bundesliga (German premier league).
OBJECTIVE
To obtain precise information on injury patterns in the women's premier soccer league in Germany.


METHODS
One-year, prospective, epidemiologic cohort study.


METHODS
Institutional level German Football Association.


METHODS
All 254 players from all 12 women's premier league teams were included.


METHODS
Base information by standardized personal interviews. Evaluation of all injury-associated medical data transmitted by standardized documentation forms.


METHODS
Injuries incidence rates (average, 95% confidence intervals) based on the exposure in matches and at practice.


METHODS
All time loss diagnoses, number and context of injuries related to their anatomical localization, severity, and rehabilitation period were recorded.


RESULTS
All 254 players finished the study [average age, 22.8 years (16-35 years)]. Two hundred forty-six injuries amounted to an injury rate of 3.3 per 1000 hours (games, 18.5 per 1000 hours; practice, 1.4 per 1000 hours). Injury distribution: knee, 31.0%; ankle, 22.1%; thigh, 12.9%; and head, 7.1%. The seasonal peak was at the beginning of the competitive season. Injury rates doubled after the 60th minute. Twenty-nine percent of the injuries were severe, and 37% were moderate.


CONCLUSIONS
Female players suffer a high amount of head injuries and severe knee and ankle injuries. The most common single injury is a sprained ankle. Torn ligaments in the ankle and knee are the most common injuries that require a long recovery period. Most of the severe injuries (>30 days) are due to noncontact intrinsic mechanisms. Almost one-quarter of all injuries consist of exertion syndromes not yet correlated with certain seasonal periods.
Gaulrapp
Hartmut
H
Orthopedic Clinic Munich-Schwabing, Munich, Germany. Dr.Gaulrapp@gmx.de
Hartmut
Gaulrapp
G
Becker
Anne
A
Walther
Markus
M
Hess
Heinrich
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000293:injuries; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult