Soccer is a popular game practiced all around the world by teenagers. However, despite being a relatively safe sport, muscle strain injuries during competitive matches are very common compared to other team-sports. Several studies have previously reported potential intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for soccer players. These include exposure time to training and matches, increased age, previous injury, joint laxity, lack of training, and low endurance (Arnason 2004). While this information is valuable, few studies, to date, have investigated risk factors for soccer injuries using Cox regression, as recommended by UEFA (Hagglund 2005). The specific advantage of this advanced statistical is that it can be adjusted for actual playing time, which can vary greatly between players in the same team. The aim of this study was to investigate the survivor covariates probability to muscle strains, in young soccer players. Methods: 75 young soccer players (16.4±1.6 y) were followed for a season (10 months). At baseline, all players were tested for body size e composition; yo-yo endurance test, flexibility, and jump performance (SJ, CMJ and DiHJ=CMJ-SJ). Team coaches and physicians recorded players` exposure (training and matches) and muscle thigh injuries (grade II lesions confirmed by echographic exam). A multivariate stepwise forward Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate survival probability predictors, for thigh muscle strains. Results: Significant correlations were recorded between thigh strain survival probability and: previous injury, field positions (defenders as midfields), height, body mass, BMI, percent body fat, yo-yo step result, SJ and DiHJ. However, the multivariate Cox regression result (Haz. Ratio; C.I. 95%) showed that, only previous injuries 2.74 (1.17-6.40), DiHJ 0.79 (0.72-0.88), and height 1.15 (1.05-1.25) were significantly correlated to thigh strain survival probability. Conclusion: This study confirms that previous injuries are an important risk factor, as reported by other investigations (Arnason 2004). However, we also found that low jump ability and an elevated players stature increased the probability of a grade II thigh strain. This could be explained by poor player coordination, influencing jumping ability (Bobbert 2001), which may be even more evident in tall young players. An early evaluation, and regular monitoring, of these parameters could assist teams to identify players at high risk who needs to be placed in preventative training programs.
© Copyright 2009 14th annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo/Norway, June 24-27, 2009, Book of Abstracts. Veröffentlicht von The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. / Übersetzt mit https://www.DeepL.com/Translator