Injuries in elite level male beach soccer players: a prospective three year study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of match and training injuries in elite-level national male beach soccer players. Method The incidence, mechanism, location, type, severity, and burden of injuries of the Turkish national beach soccer team were recorded between 2017 and 2019. Results A total of 136 injuries occurred during the study period. Total injury incidence was 238.9 injuries/1,000 match hours (MHs) and 37.7 injuries/1,000 training hours (THs) (p < 0.001). Twenty-seven injuries led to time-loss, and the incidences for match and training injuries were 36.7 and 7.9 per 1,000 hours, respectively. Of medical attention injuries (MAI) caused by trauma, 54.6% (n = 53) were due to another player and, 60.9% (n = 14) of time-loss injuries (TLI) caused by trauma were due to non-contact trauma (p < 0.001). While 82% (n = 91) of training injuries occurred in lower extremities, 29% (n = 9) of match injuries occurred in the head/neck region (p < 0.001). Head injury incidence was 45.9 per 1,000 match hours. Of MAI, 50% (n = 57) were contusion, and 32.1% (n = 9) of TLI were strain (p < 0.001). Also, the most common injury subtype was foot/toe contusion during match and training (19.4%; n = 6, 27.9%; n = 31, respectively). The majority of injuries 91.9% (n = 125) had slight severity. Conclusion Head trauma, tendon injury, and foot/toe contusion are important for clinical practice in beach soccer. Protective measures (rule regulation, use of protective equipment, etc.) should be considered to prevent these injuries.