Injury Characteristics in the German Professional Male Soccer Leagues After a Shortened Winter Break

Abstract

Context: The winter break in the top 2 German professional soccer leagues was shortened from 6.5 to 3.5 weeks in the 2009–2010 season. Objective: To investigate whether this change affected injury characteristics by comparing the second half of the 2008–2009 (long winter break) with the equivalent period in the 2009–2010 season (short winter break). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: German male professional soccer leagues. Patients or Other Participants: Seven professional German male soccer teams (184 players in the 2008–2009 season, 188 players in the 2009–2010 season). Main Outcome Measure(s): Injury incidences and injury characteristics (cause of injury, location, severity, type, diagnosis), including their monthly distribution, were recorded. Results: A total of 300 time-loss injuries (2008–2009 n = 151, 2009–2010 n = 149) occurred. The overall injury incidence per 1000 soccer hours was 5.90 (95% confidence interval = 5.03, 6.82) in 2008–2009 and 6.55 (5.58, 7.69) in 2009–2010. Match injuries per 1000 hours were 31.5 (25.0, 38.0) in the first season and 26.5 (20.2, 32.7) in the second season; the corresponding training values were 2.67 (2.08–3.44) and 3.98 (3.19–4.95), respectively. The training injury incidence (incidence rate ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1.07, 2.08], P = .02) and the risk of sustaining a knee injury (incidence rate ratio = 1.66 [1.00, 2.76], P = .049) were higher in 2009–2010 after the short winter break; the incidence of moderate and severe injuries (time loss >7 days) trended higher (incidence rate ratio = 1.34 [0.96, 1.86], P = .09). Conclusions: Shortening the winter break from 6.5 to 3.5 weeks did not change the overall injury incidence; however, a higher number of training, knee, and possibly more severe injuries (time loss >7 days) occurred.

Elite football teams that do not have a winter break lose on average 303 player-days more per season to injuries than those teams that do: a comparison among 35 professional European teams

“…To the best of our knowledge, only one study has evaluated the effect of a winter break on injury rates. 1 Shortening of the winter break from 6.5 to 3.5 weeks was not associated with a change in the overall injury risk in two top male football leagues in Germany across the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons, but it was associated with a higher number of training and knee injuries. 1 Team schedules vary in the different football playing countries.…”

Players’ Physical Performance Decreased After Two-Thirds of the Season: Results of 3 Consecutive Seasons in the German First Bundesliga

“…This means that, regardless of match running, players are able to maintain a level of technical activity through the entire season [40]. Dupont, et al [41] and aus der Funten, et al [42] found that, among top-level players, rest time between 72 and 96 h after a game was sufficient to ensure full regeneration of the body and a return to the optimal level of physical activity in players. Bloomfield, et al [43] and Konarski [44] both stated that training confers on players an ability to respond quickly and properly to increasing fatigue levels, allowing them to achieve an optimal level of recovery in advance of the season’s next game.…”

Orthopedic Injuries in Men's Professional Soccer in Brazil: Prospective Comparison of Two Consecutive Seasons 2017/2016

“…Implementing prevention strategies for a given population requires understanding and obtaining evidence on the specific pattern of said sample. As such, several epidemiological investigations have been conducted worldwide, and is common practice in the main leagues, world tournaments 2 , 8 and World Cups. 9 , 10 …”