Abdominal Organ Injuries in Youth Soccer: A Case Series and Review of Literature

Abstract

We describe 13 children who presented to the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (HMC) with pediatric soccer-related abdominal organ injuries. A review of the Pennsylvania Trauma System Foundation's Trauma Registry was performed between 2001 and 2015 for children with soccer injuries hospitalized at trauma centers across Pennsylvania. Out of 52 children at Hershey Medical Center, 13 suffered abdominal organ injuries. Injuries included the spleen [5], kidney [4], liver [2], and combined organ involvement [2]. All patients presented with abdominal and/or flank pain. All patients with kidney injuries presented with hematuria. All patients presented after a player-to-player (P2P) contact. Nearly all patients (12/13) were treated nonsurgically. Our findings showed that abdominal organ injuries constitute a substantial portion of pediatric soccer injuries requiring hospitalization, with spleen being the organ injured most frequently. Soccer-related abdominal organ injuries should be suspected in players who suffer abdominal and/or flank pain, and/or hematuria after a P2P contact.

Guide to Muscular Injuries and Common Ligamentous Injuries Among Soccer Players

“…Unlike soccer-related injury to other organ systems, however, intra-abdominal injury occurs at an appreciably higher rate in children. 13,14 While the rationale underlying this paradigm is multifocal, pediatric patients possess decreased abdominal muscle mass and a more compliant thoracic cage. 15 The essential, contact-driven nature of soccer only serves to reinforce this pattern of pediatric injury.…”

“…17 Previous literature has specifically ascribed up to 25% of all youth soccer-related injuries to the abdominal area. 14 Injury to both the spleen and kidney represents the most frequent intra-abdominal injury in youth soccer. 14,18 While the reasons underlying this notion remain unclear, it is worth noting that the thin splenic capsule and attenuated perinephric fat may lead to an increased injury risk.…”

“…14 Injury to both the spleen and kidney represents the most frequent intra-abdominal injury in youth soccer. 14,18 While the reasons underlying this notion remain unclear, it is worth noting that the thin splenic capsule and attenuated perinephric fat may lead to an increased injury risk. Of note, the existing pediatric literature has also suggested that the incidence of sports-related kidney injury in girls is twice that of the incidence in boys.…”

“…Abdominal injuries are another subset of soccer injuries. Unlike soccer-related injury to other organ systems, however, intra-abdominal injury occurs at an appreciably higher rate in children 13,14 . While the rationale underlying this paradigm is multifocal, pediatric patients possess decreased abdominal muscle mass and a more compliant thoracic cage 15 .…”

FMUPorto - Summaries and comments

“…Clinical practice guidelines for exertional rhabdomyolysis: a military medicine perspective 1 Em 2020 foram atualizadas as guidelines de diagnóstico e abordagem da rabdomiólise associada ao exercício (RAE). Os autores pretenderam com este artigo abordar questões clínicas relacionadas com o tema, aplicando--as à comunidade da medicina desportiva.…”