The Influence of Body Size and Maturity Status on Perception of Risk of Injury in Youth Football Players

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine biological influence on injury perception of youth football players. Surveys of injuries in youth sports are generally lacking and examination of biological influence on the psychology of injury is rarely studied. METHODS: Participants (n=715, 9–14 years) in two community youth football leagues were followed through two seasons. The sample population in town “A” was 426 and 289 in town “B”. Height and weight were measured at the beginning of each season, the BMI was calculated and biological maturity was estimated and expressed as a percentage of predicted adult height. ARisk of Injury in Sport Scale (RISSc) was issued to players each season. The questionnaire contained 24 items asking the subjects about their perception of injury in different circumstances. The format was a 6-poin Likert scale. The 24 questions were subdivided into 6 factors: Uncontrollable, controllable, overuse, upper body, surface-related, re-injury. RESULTS: Partial correlations were done using each RISSc factor with the biological variables. Each biological variable was examined separately with the RISSc factors, controlling for the others. Analysis was done on the entire population, comparisons of communities and of older (7–8th grade) and younger (4–6th grade) players. There were no significant correlations with biological variables and the RISSc factors when examining the population as a whole and comparing the communities. There were significant correlations in the older population with weight/surface related injuries (p =.022, r =.1650), BMI/surface related injuries (p =.020, r = −.1680), height/upper body injuries (p =.048, r = −.1426), height/surface related injuries (p =.024, r = −.1626). There were no significant correlations in the younger population with any biological variable and RISSc factor. CONCLUSION: Older players showed more concern with injuries than younger players, especially with regard to surface related injuries. In the older group, the perception of risk of injury showed an inverse relationship with BMI and height, yet a positive relationship with weight. Maturity status did not influence perception of injury in either group.