title: Risk factors for injury in community-level football: a cohort study.
abstract: We investigated the independent effect of commonly postulated risk factors on injury incidence in amateur football (soccer), using a prospective cohort design with follow-up over two seasons. A total of 1702 male and female players aged 13 years or older contributed information on 21,797 player-matches. Confirmed, were the effect of male vs. female sex (injury rate ratios (IRR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67-0.97), older age (increasing IRR gradient), New Zealand European ethnicity (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.74-1.01), being taller (180-189 cm: IRR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.06-1.63), previous injury (IRR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.12-1.57), playing against medical advice (IRR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.03-1.49), playing while recovering from injury (IRR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20-1.49), history of cigarette smoking (IRR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.00-1.61) and time of season (IRR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98). Female, adult, non-European and taller players could be paid particular attention in injury prevention programmes. The need for effective injury management is reinforced. Adding physical conditioning to pre-season training may be required.
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: David John
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Chalmers
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samaranayaka
authors.forename: Bronwen Margaret
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: McNoe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult