Clinical Trials and Medical Case Reports
Opportunities for Reducing Injury Rates Among Youth Amateur Football Players
Abstract
E. Martynov and M. Abrosimova
Background: Injury rate is an important characteristic of any sport, with football occupying one of the leading positions in this indicator. Reducing injury frequency is a primary goal of sports medicine.
Objective: To evaluate the impact of the “FIFA 11+” program on the frequency and structure of injuries in amateur football players aged 15–17.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted over two time intervals of 4 months each. In the first period warm-ups before training sessions and matches were performed arbitrarily. In the second period the “FIFA 11+” injury prevention program was used. The injury incidence rate (IR), severity, and location of injuries were evaluated.
Results: The use of the “FIFA 11+” led to a significant decrease in the overall incidence rate (IR decreased from 31.9 to 17.1). At the same time, injuries decreased mainly due to moderate (p=0.003) and mild (p=0.02) injuries. Furthermore, the analysis of the injury structure within each study period revealed a significant change, showing a shift toward less severe injuries.
Conclusion: The application of the “FIFA 11+” program in the training/match process of amateur football players aged 15–17 significantly reduces the incidence rate and lowers the proportion of severe and moderate injuries.