Perceived Links Between Playing Surfaces and Injury: a Worldwide Study of Elite Association Football Players

Aimée C Mears,Paul Osei-Owusu,Jonathan R Roberts,Alun Owen,Andy R Harland

doi:10.1186/s40798-018-0155-y

Aimée C Mears, Paul Osei-Owusu + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-018-0155-y

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Abstract

BackgroundInjuries in association football (soccer) are debilitating for players and can also be detrimental to the success of a team or club. The type or condition of a playing surface has been empirically linked to injuries, yet results are inconclusive. The overall purpose of this study was to analyse elite football players’ perceived links between playing surfaces and injury from a worldwide cohort of players. The results of this study can help to inform areas for future playing surface research aimed at trying to alleviate user concerns and meet user (i.e. the player) needs.MethodsQuantitative data were collected from 1129 players across the globe to address the aim of this study.ResultsNinety-one percent of players believed the type or condition of a surface could increase injury risk. Abrasive injuries, along with soreness and pain, were perceived to be greater on artificial turf. Surface type, surface properties and age were all potential risk factors identified by the players and linked to the playing surfaces.ConclusionsThe results identified three areas where future research should be focussed to help develop surfaces that alleviate user concerns and meet user (i.e. player) needs: (i) current reporting of soreness, pain or fatigue as injuries, (ii) contribution of surface properties to injury; and (iii) surface experience of players from different countries differentiates their views of injury risk.

Highlights

Injuries in association football are debilitating for players and can be detrimental to the success of a team or club
Injury Overview In support of Injury and Fatigue being identified as a central dimension in the qualitative study, 91% of the 1129 players who completed the questionnaire believed the type or condition of a playing surface could increase injury risk
Incidence of Injuries Overall, approximately two thirds (64%) of respondents to Q4.1.1 sustained an injury believed to be caused by the type or condition of a playing surface

Summary

Introduction

Injuries in association football (soccer) are debilitating for players and can be detrimental to the success of a team or club. Players have expressed negative attitudes towards the use of artificial turf (AT) (defined in this study as any synthetic grass football surface) for training and matches due to the perceived risk of injury [3]. Despite studies reporting no difference in the incidence of injury between AT and natural turf (NT), the avoidance of using AT in elite football, the male game in Southern Europe, is often attributed to players’ continued negative perceptions of AT [8]. Zanetti [13] reported favourable attitudes towards AT over NT for amateur Italian football players (n = 1671), except with regard to the risk of abrasion on AT These results provide some evidence that the type of injury may change the perceived link between playing surfaces and injury and that factors such as ability, country, or surface experience may influence the perceived links

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