The perception of injury risk and prevention among football players: A systematic review

Abstract

Football is associated with a certain risk of injury, leading to short- and long-term health consequences. However, the perception of football players about injury risk and prevention strategies is poorly documented. The present article reviewed the literature about perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and knowledge toward injury risk and prevention strategies in football players. An electronic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and APA PsychINFO until July 2022. Studies were eligible if they included the perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge about injury risk and prevention in football players from any competitive level. The risk of bias was assessed in included studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. A total of 14 studies were included. Most football players agreed that their risk of injury is high and prevention strategies are important, however they do not intend to use some of these strategies. The most frequent perceived injury risk factors were low muscle strength, lack of physical fitness, fatigue, excessive training and type and condition of surfaces. The most frequent perceived injury prevention factors were warm-up, workload monitoring and strength and conditioning training. It is essential to acknowledge perceived injury risk factors, as well as a better understanding of how coaching and medical departments' perceptions match with players' perceptions, and a modification in the perceptions of the several stakeholders at different levels of action.

Higher age and present injury at the start of the season are risk factors for in‐season injury in amateur male and female football players—a prospective cohort study

“…the players could make a reasonable estimation of their risk of injury. This contrasts with previous research suggesting that perception of low injury risk could be associated with a risk-taking behaviour [8] and thus make the player more prone to injury. Only 29% of the players (male and female) in the present cohort believed it was likely that they would sustain an injury during the season (1-3 on the Likert scale).…”

“…Only 29% of the players (male and female) in the present cohort believed it was likely that they would sustain an injury during the season (1–3 on the Likert scale). This is considerably lower compared to a recent systematic review that reported that most football players believed that their risk of sustaining an injury was moderate to high, and players expected to sustain at least one injury over the course of the following season [8]. Also, compared to players’ expectations at the beginning of the season, where 29% of players believed it was likely that they would sustain an injury during the season, the injury burden was substantially higher, as 130 male players reported a total of 95 injuries, and the 332 female players reported a total of 350 injuries during the season.…”

“…Personality attributes, such as trait anxiety, and a history of stressors, like high level of life stress or fear/anxiety associated with a previous injury, are positively correlated with injury rates, and psychological and social readiness for play may affect the risk of injuries in football players [32]. Perception of injury risk may be associated with risk‐taking behaviour [8], which needs to be considered and taken into account in injury prevention [38].…”

Immediate effect of kinesiology taping on muscle strength, static balance and proprioception after eccentric muscle fatigue on ankle: a randomized cross-over trial

“…Muscle strength plays a crucial role in joint flexibility and stability and is an essential component of fatigue recovery programs [ 32 ]. In this study, isometric muscle strength tests were conducted at 60°/s and 180°/s angular velocities.…”

Muscle Injuries in Elite Youth Football Academy: A Six-Year Longitudinal Study on the U15 Football Team

“…Although this is a multifactorial health problem in which risk factors are often in cause-andeffect relationships, studies have highlighted several clear risk factors [16,17]. Some of these factors such as age, previous injuries, and surface conditions cannot be controlled [18,19]. On the other hand, a player's range of motion, muscle strength and flexibility, physical fitness, and mechanical load imposed on players are things that coaches can and must take care of [16,17].…”