Injuries and Pain Associated with Goalkeeping in Football—Review of the Literature

Abstract

Knowledge and research about football goalkeeper (GK) injuries are scarce, which prevents the development of evidence-based injury prevention programs. Fortunately, progress is evident in injury prevention strategies in outfield football players. However, a GK fulfills a unique role, and an injured GK can substantially impact a team. Thus, there is a need to clarify and summarize current knowledge concerning football goalkeeper pain and injuries. This narrative review aims to present the best-evidence synthesis of knowledge about football GK injuries and pain, their type, location, and incidence. A secondary aim is to contrast these findings with outfield players and identify knowledge gaps. Scientific databases were searched for the following indexed terms: goalkeeper, injury, soccer, and football. Original papers, including case studies and systematic reviews published from August 1994 to March 2021, were screened for relevance using a priori criteria and reviewed. Commonly described injuries are fractures, luxation and dislocations in the fingers, hand and wrist. The quadriceps femoris and forearms muscles are the most frequently described muscle and tendon injuries. Further, football GK injuries differ in type, location, and incidence compared to outfield players. Whether GKs suffer fewer injuries than players in other positions, whether GK suffer more injuries in training than matches, and whether they sustain more upper limb injuries comparing to field players is still unclear and controversial. Few studies assess pain, and current data point to the development of hip and groin, thigh, knee, arm and forearm pain resulting from training and match play. Due to the crucial role of GK in the football team, it is recommended to use the injury burden as a parameter considering the number and time-loss of injuries in future studies.

Isolated Trapezoid Fracture in Adolescent Goalkeepers: A Scoping Review of the Literature and a Report of Two Cases

“…However, there is a lack of data specifically focusing on injuries among adolescent goalkeepers. 1 , 28 , 29 …”

“…Some researchers have indicated that goalkeepers may experience higher injury rates in their upper limbs, particularly in their fingers, hands, and wrists, while conflicting findings have been presented by other studies. 2 , 29 , 30 Marchessault et al 31 mentioned that hand and wrist injuries comprise 3-9% of all sports injuries. The scaphoid is the most affected bone, especially after axial load and hyperextension trauma.…”

“…The isolated trapezoid fractures in adolescent goalkeepers that we presented are exceptionally rare, being the two first cases described in the literature to our knowledge. 29 , 32 , 39 , 40 , 41 This scarcity of cases limits the available evidence and emphasizes the need for further research to gain a better understanding of these injuries. 4 Early diagnosis is of paramount importance.…”

Bonitation assessment of intensively used football turf depending on the date and area of observation

“…In addition, these areas are particularly at risk of creating plantless spots due to goalkeeper interventions (Fig. 10 ), which result in the body falling to the ground 71 , 72 and damaging the surface (requiring overseeding, which is not always possible due to the ongoing league season). As can be seen from the obtained results, it had a lower tendency to deteriorate quality, along with turf age in areas characterized by a higher functional value (middle area, playing area) in the first evaluation periods.…”

The Effects of Football Training on Improving Aerobic Skills, Technique, and Anthropometry in Goalkeepers

“…Regular exercise has a significant impact on children's overweight levels. According to Muracki et al (2021), goalkeepers sometimes have a higher fat percentage than players in other positions. Maintaining body weight is crucial for agility in movement, speed, and the body's reaction to the arrival of the opponent and the ball.…”