More About ... Football Medicine: Muscle Injuries in Football

In football, as in other sports, muscle injuries can be either strain injuries or contusions from a direct external force. Muscle strain injuries are particularly common in female (1) and male football players and account for: (i) approximately 10-30% of all football injuries; (2), (3) and (ii) 15% of more severe injuries. (4) In elite football players muscle strain injuries account for an even larger proportion of injuries (31-43%). (5) Such injuries occur most commonly in the thigh (8-22% of football injuries, mostly hamstring injuries), groin (hip adductors), and calf muscles. (3), (5), (6) A large number of studies have been conducted to identify possible risk factors for muscle strain injuries in football. The results of these studies show that the most important risk factors for such injuries are previous injuries (hamstring and groin), (7) reduced muscle strength and muscle strength imbalances (reduced hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio), (7), (8), (9) reduced pre-season range of motion (ROM), (10), (11) reduced core muscle strength, and delayed activation of the transversus abdominis muscle. (7) The following were not identified as significant risk factors for hamstring strains: age, body size, limb dominance and playing position. (10)