Epidemiology of Sport Injury Among Korean Male Youth Soccer Players: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the injury profiles of Korean youth soccer players over a 1-year period.

METHOD: One hundred Korean male soccer players aged 12-15 years were recruited for this prospective epidemiological study. Data on injury characteristics, including the type of field, severity of injuries, time to return to full soccer activities, re-injury rate, and surgery rate were collected by the medical staff. The incidence rate of injuries including body locations, types, and causes was calculated as the number of injuries per 1000 hours.

RESULTS

In total, 140 injuries were reported during the 1-year follow-up. The overall incidence rate was 5.76 per 1000 hours. The incidence rate was higher during matches than during training (14.76 per 1000 h vs 3.88 per 1000 h). The most common body location, type of injury, and cause of injuries were the ankle (n = 46, 32.9%), ligament sprain (n = 54, 37.1%), and noncontact injury (n = 63, 45.0%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevention strategies should focus on noncontact ankle sprains in Korean youth soccer players. Given the growth spurts experienced by U-15 soccer players, emphasis should be placed on muscle conditioning and balance training to control movement and prevent soccer injuries.