2019, Volume 15, Issue 1

Sports injuries of second-league female and male football players

Kazimierz Witkowski¹, Paweł Piepiora¹, Aneta Zygmund<sup>1

1</sup>Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wrocławiu, Wrocław, Poland


Author for correspondence: Paweł Piepiora; Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wrocławiu, Wrocław, Poland; email: pawel.piepiora@awf.wroc.pl

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Abstract

Background and Study Aim: Football is one of sports that causes most injuries throughout the world. The reasons vary, because competition in football very often becomes fierce. The objective of the study was an attempt to determine which injuries are most frequently sustained by female and male football players, circumstances in which injuries are sustained and the course of recovery.

Materials and Methods: The study enrolled randomly selected 114 individuals, including 76 females and 38 males from 6 voivodeships who participated in the second league matches in 2016/2017. The average age of the respondents was 26, with the youngest male player being 17 and the oldest female player being 41. A questionnaire was developed for the purposes of the study.

Results: The study revealed that most common injuries in football setting were joint sprains, bone fractures and muscle problems. Lower extremities were usually more prone to sports injury, which affected nearly all football players from the field. Injuries were sustained primarily during the season at matches. Treatment of complete tear of ligaments and Achilles tendon lasted for the longest time. Recovery to regain full fitness from before the injury is a long and arduous rehabilitation process for everyone. Support from the loved ones is very important in this time. Brutality is the most common cause of injuries. A decision to end football career was mostly taken due to fear of one’s life, mental injury, reaction of loved ones and medical opinion. Most of the injured were removed from the team by the coach.

Conclusions: In summary, every injury sustained by an athlete affects their mental status to a lesser or greater extent. It depends on the personality and approach of the injured ones, how and when they will cope with it and come back to physical activity. The coach and coach’s attitude should be one of the main factors playing role in player’s return to sport.

Key words: sports injuries, football, sports sociology