Health news - child footballers most at risk of injury
27 April 2005 - written by Bupa's health information team
Elite child footballers who train intensively may be at greater risk of injury than elite child athletes, who swim, play tennis or do gymnastics, according to a study in the May 2005 edition of the Archives of Disease in Childhood.1
How was the study carried out?
Between 1987 and 1992, researchers looked at the effects of intensive training on 453 young elite British athletes aged 8-16 years. The study found that the risk of injury was low.1
Ten years later, the researchers questioned 203 of these athletes to see if they had had any further injuries since the original study.1
Of the people questioned, there were:
- 22 football players
- 52 gymnasts
- 57 swimmers
- 72 tennis players
More than half (109 people) were still involved in their sport. The rest had given up due to school and work pressures, apart from 15 who had stopped because of injury.1
Which sport had the highest injury rate?
According to this study, more elite child football players had a sports injury over the 10-year period compared with the other sports. Elite child swimmers suffered very few sport-related injuries.1
Child footballers were also at least five times more likely to have more than one injury.1
Other research has found that contact sports such as football have a much higher risk of injury than non-contact sports such as swimming.2
Where were the injuries?
When the injuries in the different sports were compared, the study found that:1
- child footballers were most likely to have a leg or foot injury
- child tennis players were most likely to have an arm or shoulder injury
- child gymnasts were most likely to have a back injury
Research by the Football Association also found that the most likely injuries to young football players are strains and sprains to the thigh, ankle and knee.3
Was there any difference between boys and girls?
No. There were no significant differences between boys and girls in terms of sports injuries.1
Does the level of competition make a difference?
Yes. Children who played at international, national, regional or county level were more likely to have had an injury than those who played for fun.1
This rise in injury risk may be due to the tougher training and increased performance required at the higher levels of competition.
Why does football cause more injuries than swimming, tennis or gymnastics?
Football is more likely to cause injury than sports such as swimming, because:4
- football involves players increasing and decreasing speed very quickly
- the players twist and turn sharply, often while also moving forward or backwards at great speed
- there are often many collisions between players
My children enjoy playing football. Should I stop them?
No. This study looked at a very small number of elite child athletes. These children go through intense training so they can play their sport at the highest levels of competition. And this training often goes on for years before the children even reach adolescence.1
High-intensity training, along with the possibilities of overtraining and playing when not fully fit, may increase a child's risk of injury.
For children who regularly play football for fun, the health benefits outweigh the risks of injury. And encouraging your child to play sport at an early age can start a habit that can help to keep him or her fit and healthy for life.
What are the health benefits of my child playing sport?
Regular physical activity has a major effect on improving your child's health in the short and long term. Playing any sport regularly will help:5
- reduce the risk of heart disease in later life
- prevent obesity and maintain a healthy weight
- reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in later life
- raise mood and self-esteem
Do sports such as football have any extra health benefits over other sports such as swimming?
Football - along with tennis and rugby - is a weight-bearing sport. This means that your child's bones, joints and muscles have to work to carry their weight. The strains of running, twisting, turning and hitting a ball can help to make your child's bones stronger. This may reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis (brittle bones) in later life.6
Football is a team sport. Being in a team can help some children to build up their self-esteem and may encourage camaraderie.
How can I help my children to avoid injuries?
Encourage your child to warm up before taking part in sport. Warm muscles are less likely to suffer an injury. Brisk walking or light jogging helps to get muscles warm.
Warming down and stretching at the end of a game or training is also important.
For more information, please see Bupa's basic stretching and warm up techniques:
Exercise
Don't push your child too hard. Recovery is a vital part of training. Your child needs a day or two of rest between training and matches, and they must take time off if they feel seriously "under par".
Bupa information:
Further information:
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The Football Association
www.thefa.com/ -
Sport England
www.sportengland.org/ -
British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health
www.bhfactive.org.uk
References
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Maffulli N, Baxter-Jones ADG, Grieve A. Long term sport involvement and sport injury rate in elite young athletes. Arch Dis Child 2005; 90: 525-527.
www.archdischild.com -
Nicholl J, Coleman P. Letters. Acute sports injuries. British Medical Journal 1996; 312: 844.
bmj.bmjjournals.com -
Price RJ, Hawkins RD, Hulse MA et al. The Football Association medical research programme: an audit of injuries in academy youth football. The British Journal of Sports Medicine 2004; 38(4): 466-471.
bjsm.bmjjournals.com/ -
Ivan Waddington. No pain no gain: Injuries in Professional Football. Singer and Friedlander Football Review 1997-98 season. The Centre for Research into Sport and Society at The University of Leicester.
www.le.ac.uk -
At least five a week. A report from the Chief Medical Officer. UK Department of Health. April 2004. www.dh.gov.uk.
www.dh.gov.uk -
What is osteoporosis? National Osteoporosis Society Online.
www.nos.org.uk
All websites accessed on 23 April 2005.
