Lower limb injuries in teenage girls playing soccer

by Mahlangu, Lindiwe L.

Introduction: The number of girls and women participating in all levels of soccer has risen greatly in recent years. Rationale for the study: The injury risk is high in soccer, but little is known about the mechanisms by which these injuries occur. Objective: To describe the types of injuries and the mechanisms sustained by teenage girls playing soccer. Design: A descriptive study was done. Method: An injury observation sheet was used to collect data over one week of interregional schools tournament that took place in August 2003, Rustenburg, North West province. For all injuries the following information was documented: type of injury, site of injury, mechanism of injury, cause of injury, part of field, time of ball in play and player position. The teenage girls playing soccer who participated in the USSASSA summer ball games tournament were used. The verbal player informed consent form which provided information on the rights of participants was also drawn and handed to all participants to familiarize themselves with contents prior to a game. Results: Main findings in this study were that the ligament sprains accounted for the highest number (57%) of total injuries sustained by the teenage girls playing soccer. Contusions were the less common type of injury that affected teenage girls. Tackling was the mechanism responsible for most injuries (49%). Strikers were the players’ positions associated with all types of injuries sustained in this study, 72% of strains, 56 %of strains and 45% of total contusions. Goal keepers were not affected by any of the lower limb injuries in this study. Conclusion: Injuries sustained by teenage girls are minor in nature. Sprains and strains are the most common injuries affecting ankles and knees. Injury prevention program can have beneficial results if implemented at developmental stage of their carriers.