Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine (Nov 2020)

Injury Profile and Sex-Specific Differences in Bubble-Soccer – A First Scientific Survey of a Dangerous New Sports Trend

  • Krutsch V,
  • Clement A,
  • Heising T,
  • Achenbach L,
  • Pfeifer C,
  • Weber J,
  • Alt V,
  • Krutsch W

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 11
pp. 161 – 168

Abstract

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Volker Krutsch,1 Annabelle Clement,2 Tobias Heising,3 Leonard Achenbach,4 Christian Pfeifer,2 Johannes Weber,2 Volker Alt,2 Werner Krutsch2,5 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Paracelsus Medical University Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany; 2Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Marienhospital Osnabrueck, Osnabrueck, Germany; 4Department of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany; 5SportDocsFranken, Nuremberg, GermanyCorrespondence: Werner KrutschDepartment of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß Allee 1, Regensburg 93053, GermanyTel +49 176 24225995Email [email protected]: Small-field soccer is a popular type of amateur sports worldwide. One type of small-field soccer growing in popularity is bubble-soccer, but injury risks and injury patterns are still unclear. This study investigates the factors influencing injuries in bubble-soccer for the first time.Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study of an outdoor tournament investigated the injury incidence and injury patterns as well as the factors influencing injuries in bubble-soccer matches. Data were collected according to the statement on data collection and injury definition. Preparation and physical outcome were assessed for both sexes.Results: Of 145 players (104 men, 41 women), 58 players sustained 94 injuries during the tournament and 64% of injuries affected the lower extremities. The most common traumatic injuries were skin lesions (37.5%), acute pain (15.6%) and contusion (7.8%). More female players (3818.2/1000 h bubble-soccer) than male players (1474.4) were affected by injury, mostly to the knees or the head. Also, women significantly more often reported neck pain than men (p< 0.042); 29.0% of players felt uncomfortable wearing the bubble, and 21.4% reported neurological symptoms such as headache or dizziness after the match.Conclusion: Bubble-soccer shows a relatively high injury incidence. Women had a higher injury incidence and were more often affected by traumatic injuries to the head and neck including feeling of discomfort and headache or neck pain after the match. Adequate preparation seems to be essential for injury prevention, and players should recognise the high injury risk of bubble-soccer.Keywords: bubble soccer, injury, soccer, risk factor, prevention

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