Playing Position and the Injury Incidence Rate in Male Academy Soccer Players

Abstract

Context: It is unclear whether playing position influences injury in male academy soccer players (ASP). Objective: To determine if playing position is associated with injury in ASP. Design: Descriptive Epidemiology Study. Setting: English, Spanish, Uruguayan and Brazilian soccer academies. Participants: 369 ASP from Under 14 (U14) to U23 age groups, classified as ‘post-peak height velocity' using maturity offset, and grouped as goalkeepers (GK), lateral defenders (LD), central defenders (CD), lateral midfielders (LM), central midfielders (CM) and forwards (FWD). Additional analysis compared central (CENT) with lateral/forward (LAT/FWD) positions. Main Outcome Measures: Injuries were recorded prospectively over one season. Injury prevalence proportion (IPP), days missed and injury incidence rate (IIR, injuries per 1000 training/match hours, n=116) were analysed according to playing position. Results: No association with playing position was observed for any injury type/location regarding IPP (P≥0.089) or days missed (P≥0.235). The IIR was higher in CD than LD for general (9.30 vs. 4.18 injuries/1000h, P=0.009), soft-tissue (5.14 vs. 1.95 injuries/1000h, P=0.026) and ligament/tendon injuries (2.69 vs. 0.56 injuries/1000h, P=0.040). Regarding CENT vs. LAT/FWD, there were no associations with IPP (P≥0.051) or days missed (P≥0.083), but general IIR was greater in CENT than LAT/FWD (8.67 vs. 6.12 injuries/1000h, P=0.047). Conclusions: ASP playing position was not associated with IPP or days missed but the higher general, soft-tissue and ligament/tendon IIR in CD suggests this position warrants specific attention regarding injury prevention strategies. These novel findings highlight the importance of including training/match exposure when investigating the influence of playing position on injury in ASP.

Analysis of injury characteristics in youth elite football athletes in Indonesia

“…As an example, this study showed that the highest injury occurred to the defender (35%), while the lowest position was a goalkeeper (11%). Interestingly, this finding differs from the research revealed by Hall et al (2022). In their context, the most vulnerable position in the football academy was a midfielder at 8.67/1000 hours.…”

The Genetic Association with Athlete Status, Physical Performance, and Injury Risk in Soccer

“…Consequently, team success is associated with low injury rates [127], having more players available for matches and training [128], and losing fewer days to injury during a season [18]. Despite scientific advances identifying a number of risk factors, including player age, previous injury and joint range of motion [1], as well as maturity status [24], playing position [23] and biological sex [129],…”

“…Conse quently, team success is associated with low injury rates [127], hav ing more players available for matches and training [128] and los ing fewer days to injury during a season [18]. Despite scientific ad vances identifying a number of risk factors, including player age, previous injury, and joint range of motion [1] as well as maturity status [24], playing position [23], and biological sex [129], inter individual variation in the frequency and severity of soccer injury suggests not all factors are fully understood. With injury preven tion representing a key objective for players and coaches, it is logi cal that athletes and practitioners believe there may be value in ge netic data concerning injury susceptibility [130], not least because previous injury increases future injury risk [1].…”

“…previous injury, maturity status, playing position, match intensity, etc. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24], have been extensively investigated in soccer players, the genetic contribution to high-level soccer success remains unclear. Variation in the sequence of nucleotides within or adjacent to certain genes has the ability to alter the type/abundance/function of the proteins encoded for by those specific genes [25], thus having the potential to affect tissue characteristics [26,27] and ultimately physical performance [28] or injury risk [29].…”

“…Although such characteris tics, e. g. strength, power, speed, agility and aerobic capacity [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17], and injury risk factors, e. g. previous injury, maturity status, playing position, match intensity, etc. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24], have been exten sively investigated in soccer players, the genetic contribution to…”