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. 2025 Feb;9(1):26-37.
doi: 10.1080/24733938.2023.2261399. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Growth-related sports injuries among young male professional football players in the Netherlands: a prospective cohort study concerning injury incidence, severity and burden

Else E A E Juch, Vincent C van de Koppel, Donna Blokland  1 , Renko A Wouters  1 , Frank J G Backx  1 , Edwin A Goedhart  2 , Nick van der Horst
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Free article

Growth-related sports injuries among young male professional football players in the Netherlands: a prospective cohort study concerning injury incidence, severity and burden

Else E A E Juch et al. Sci Med Footb. 2025 Feb.
Free article

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the incidence, type and location of growth-related sports injuries (GRSI) in youth professional football in the Netherlands. Secondary, to gain more knowledge on the injury severity and burden of GRSI.

Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal cohort study, 813 players aged 10-18 are included. Data collection is performed by instructing the medical staff of six professional football club academies to register GRSI by means of standardized forms. Training and match exposure are registered individually on a weekly basis. Injury incidence was calculated as number of GRSI per 1000 hours, injury severity as the median number of days lost in categories and injury burden as the number of days lost per 1000 hours.

Results: A total of 62 GRSI were documented in the football season 2021-2022. The total incidence of GRSI was 0.62/1000 hours football exposure. Morbus Osgood Schlatter and Morbus Sever were most common types of GRSI, both with incidence rates of 0.22/1000 hours exposure. About 58.3% of the documented GRSI were classified as major (>28 days lost). Within this group, the mean severity was 55 days time-loss to football.

Conclusions: GRSI are relatively common in youth professional football. The most common types are Morbus Sever and Morbus Osgood Schlatter. Morbus Osgood Schlatter has the highest injury severity and burden compared to other types of GRSI.

Keywords: Epidemiology; adolescent; athletic injuries; football; growth; professional.

Plain language summary

Findings: GRSI incidence is significant in youth professional football, with M. Osgood Schlatter and M. Sever as the most common types of GRSI. More than half of GRSI are classified as major injuries. The mean injury severity is 55 days-lost due to injury, showing significant injury burden for GRSI. About 20.6% of the GRSI concerns a recurrent injury. GRSI incidence is highest in U13 and U14 players compared to other age groups. GRSI occur more frequently during matches compared to training.Implications: The results of this study provide insight into GRSI incidence and severity for youth professional football during a player’s developmental years. The results from this study can be used in practice to recognize and acknowledge GRSI in young professional football players. These data will provide clinicians with prognostic information about expected length of the absence following specific types of GRSI.Caution: The results can most likely be extrapolated to other youth professional football academies. External validity towards other populations such as female professional or amateur youth football requires further validation through prospective studies.

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