Epidemiology and risk factors in soccer

Football is the world's most popular sport. The greater frequency of accidents in recent years in both professional and amateur football, Youth football and women's football has been the Subject of several studies and Publications. While it is true that markedly improved medical knowledge now ensures faster, more accurate and more precise diagnosis, it is equally true that little is still known about bow to prevent injuries and little, indeed, is done to prevent them. Many accidents are unforeseeable as they are the natural consequences of a sport in which speed, strength and explosive action are accompanied by physical contact, tackling and collisions with,in opponent. Many others, however, could be avoided because they sterri from mistakes, underestimation of the risk factors, or insufficient consideration of the ways in which they call be prevented. Epidemiological data are used to formulate appropriate preventive measures. Football is usually regarded as a sport in which injuries are the result of contact, though in some respects it is similar to collision sports. A distinction must naturally be drawn between injuries occuring in young players, women, amateurs and professionals. Consideration of the incidence due to multiple factors is also of importance. Riskfactors can be divided in prinnary such as technical and tactical aspects, physical and athletic aspects, psychophysical stress, pitches and shoes; and in secondary such as age, previous traurnatic events, physical and biological characteristics, life style, severity of referees and fair play.