Orthopedic injuries in soccer - an analysis of a professional championship tournament in Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the incidence of orthopedic injuries which occurred during a professional soccer championship in São Paulo, Brazil in 2010. Methods: This assessment collected data from the pre-season until the final stage of the championship. Results: We analyzed 227 professional players from eight of the top teams in this championship. Data were obtained for 71.02% of all games. The athletes were all male with a mean age of 23.1 years; the average number of injuries was 1.6 per athlete, with muscle injuries and sprains resulting from indirect origin predominating in the legs. Conclusion: Injuries were more frequent in forwards and outside backs, and players generally returned to play within one week of treatment.