title: Injuries in youth soccer during the preseason.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate injuries occurring during the preseason in youth soccer players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study over 1 preseason.
  
  
  METHODS
  2009-2010 preseason.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 912 youths aged 12 to 19 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The club's medical staff prospectively recorded all injuries. A reportable injury was defined as by the consensus statement on soccer injuries. Estimated injury rates per 1000 hours of exposure during the preseason period were calculated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Injury rates (injuries per 1000 hours of soccer exposure) during preseason practices by age group, as well as prevalence, severity, and type of injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total incidence was 2.5 injuries per 1000 hours of exposure. Incidence of match and training injuries were 6.7 and 1.8 injuries per 1000 hours (P = 0.02), respectively. Injuries were sustained by 7.2% of players during the preseason, and 79% of the injuries involved the lower limbs, of which 23% were located to the thigh. Muscle strains and contusions were the most common injuries and external trauma the main cause.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No age-related trend in the incidence of preseason injuries was found. During the preseason training period, athletic trainers should expect a majority of muscle strains, especially in the thigh region.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. jbrito@fade.up.pt
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rebelo
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seabra
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Malina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult