title: Sports injuries profile of a first division Brazilian soccer team: a descriptive cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the injury profile of soccer players from a first division Brazilian soccer team. In addition, we investigated the association between the characteristics of the injuries and the player's age and position.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight players from a Brazilian first division soccer team were followed during one season. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the injury profile. Spearman's tests were used to verify the association between the number and severity of injuries and the player's age. Chi-square test was used to verify the association between type of injury and player's position. Fisher's exact test was used to verify the association between the severity of injuries and player's position.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of injuries was 42.84/1000 hours in matches and 2.40/1000 hours in training. The injury severity was 19.5±34.4 days off competition or training. Lower limb was the most common location of injury and most injuries were muscular/tendinous, overuse, non-recurrent, and non-contact injuries. Player's age correlated with the amount and severity of muscle and tendon injuries. Defenders had more minimal injuries (1-3 days lost), while forwards had more moderate (8-28 days lost) and severe injuries (>28 days lost). Furthermore, wingbacks had more muscle and tendon injuries, while midfielders had more joint and ligament injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The injury profile of the Brazilian players investigated in this study reflected regional differences in soccer practices. Results confirm the influence of the player's age and position on the soccer injuries profile.
authors.affiliation: Departamento Médico, Clube Atlético Mineiro, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago R T
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento Médico, Clube Atlético Mineiro, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo C P
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lasmar
authors.affiliation: Departamento Médico, Clube Atlético Mineiro, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Otaviano
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oliveira Júnior
authors.affiliation: Departamento Médico, Clube Atlético Mineiro, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rômulo F F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*