ORTHOPEDIC INJURIES IN SOCCER - AN ANALYSIS OF A PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT IN BRAZIL

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the incidence of orthopedic injuries which occurred during a professional soccer championship in São Paulo, Brazil in 2010. Methods: This assessment collected data from the pre-season until the final stage of the championship. Results: We analyzed 227 professional players from eight of the top teams in this championship. Data were obtained for 71.02% of all games. The athletes were all male with a mean age of 23.1 years; the average number of injuries was 1.6 per athlete, with muscle injuries and sprains resulting from indirect origin predominating in the legs. Conclusion: Injuries were more frequent in forwards and outside backs, and players generally returned to play within one week of treatment. Level of Evidence III, Study of Non Consecutive Patients; Without Consistently Applied Reference “Gold” Standard.

Keywords

• Soccer
• Athletic injuries
• Wounds and injuries