Injuries according to the percentage of adult height in an elite soccer academy

Injuries in youth football and the relationship to player maturation: An analysis of time‐loss injuries during four seasons in an English elite male football academy

“…The most common injuries sustained by U'13-U'16 aged players and their maturation status at time of injury occurrence increase stress on bone apophyses. 10 Comparing this finding with studies investigating similar cohorts is difficult, mainly due to a failure to report "not-fracture" bone injury as a specific entity. Therefore, the amount of bone (not-fracture) injuries we observed is much higher than previously reported, yet understandable as they would have been classified differently.…”

“…Furthermore, we observed how (not‐fracture) bone injury (the third most common injury type overall) peaked in this age‐group. Given that the bulk of these injuries were located at the knee (51%), it is likely due to osteochondral disorders such as Osgood‐Schlatter disease, previously found to occur around the age of 13, 21 when physical adaptations increase stress on bone apophyses 10 . Comparing this finding with studies investigating similar cohorts is difficult, mainly due to a failure to report “not‐fracture” bone injury as a specific entity.…”

“…These findings are somewhat comparable to a recent study observing how growthrelated injuries occur more frequently in younger players. 10 It is apparent then that specific preventative measures should be implemented in players in U'13-U'16 squads, targeting growth-related overuse injuries (both bony and tendon related) and with region-specific consideration for the knee (in U'13 players), hip/groin (in U'15 players), and thigh in players aged > 15 (in particular U '18). It is important that clinicians consider our findings alongside other epidemiological research in prioritizing medical attention to players.…”

“…More longitudinal injury data from youth academies are warranted, 9 as is a clearer insight into maturation/growth to injury. 10 Overall, the lack of research attention in those considered the "future" of our professional game is somewhat surprising. The primary aim of the present study therefore was to investigate frequency, incidence, and pattern of time-loss injuries in elite-level youth male footballers across a number of consecutive playing seasons.…”

“…More longitudinal injury data from youth academies are warranted, 9 as is a clearer insight into maturation/growth to injury 10 . Overall, the lack of research attention in those considered the “future” of our professional game is somewhat surprising.…”