Epidemiology of injuries in male and female youth football players: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Highlights

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  Youth football players are at high risk of injury, especially during matches.

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  Male and female youth football players show different injury patterns.

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  The number of severe injuries in both sexes may not be considered acceptable.

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  The incidence of injuries increases with advances in chronological age in males.

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  The quality of evidence for injury incidences in female youth football players is low.

Abstract

Background

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological data of injuries in male and female youth football players.

Methods

Searches were performed in MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and SPORTDiscus databases. Studies were considered if they reported injury incidence rate in male and female youth (≤19 years old) football players. Two reviewers (FJRP and ALV) extracted data and assessed trial quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach determined the quality of evidence. Studies were combined using a Poisson random effects regression model.

Results

Forty-three studies were included. The overall incidence rate was 5.70 injuries/1000 h in males and 6.77 injuries/1000 h in females. Match injury incidence (14.43 injuries/1000 h in males and 14.97 injuries/1000 h in females) was significantly higher than training injury incidence (2.77 injuries/1000 h in males and 2.62 injuries/1000 h in females). The lower extremity had the highest incidence rate in both sexes. The most common type of injury was muscle/tendon for males and joint/ligament for females. Minimal injuries were the most common in both sexes. The incidence rate of injuries increased with advances in chronological age in males. Elite male players presented higher match injury incidence than sub-elite players. In females, there was a paucity of data for comparison across age groups and levels of play.

Conclusion

The high injury incidence rates and sex differences identified for the most common location and type of injury reinforce the need for implementing different targeted injury-risk mitigation strategies in male and female youth football players.

Graphical Abstract