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

Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain if there is a defined pattern of injury related to the percentage of attained adult height and classify injuries according to maturity status bands. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: From 1998-2019, 63 elite male soccer players of at least the U12 category from a Spanish LaLiga club's academy were followed until reaching their final height. Medical staff recorded injuries following the FIFA consensus and measured height 2-3 times per season. The percentage of adult height at which each injury occurred was calculated using the player's closest height to the injury and his final adult height. Injuries were classified in maturity bands, pre-peak-height-velocity (PHV) 88%, circa-PHV 88%-96%, and post-PHV 96%. Results: There were 509 injuries among the 63 players. Growth-related injuries occurred at a median (IQR) of 91.2% (86.7%-95.2%) of adult height, predominating in pre-PHV and PHV bands. Muscle injuries predominantly occurred at post-PHV, with 77.78% of those conditions occurring within that time frame and at 98.7% (96%-99.5%) of adult height. Likewise, knee and ankle joint/ligament injuries predominated at post-PHV (87% and 65% of total cases, respectively) occurring at 99.0% (97.9%-99.9%) and 98.4% (89.2%-99.4%) of adult height, respectively. Conclusions: Injuries follow a specific pattern according to the percentage of adult height. (C) 2020 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study tracked growth-related injuries among 63 elite male soccer players and found that injuries mainly occurred around 91.2% of adult height. Different types of injuries showed different tendencies at various maturity status bands, highlighting the importance of individualized injury prevention strategies for athletes.