Injury incidence rates in women’s football: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective injury surveillance studies

• Published in: British journal of sports medicine Vol. 57; no. 8; pp. 471 - 480
• Main Authors: Horan, Dan, Büttner, Fionn, Blake, Catherine, Hägglund, Martin, Kelly, Seamus, Delahunt, Eamonn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine 01.04.2023; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Athletic Injuries - epidemiology; Athletic Injuries - prevention & control; Bias; Female; football; Humans; Incidence; Injury prevention; Medical Subject Headings-MeSH; Meta-analysis; Participation; Prospective Studies; Review; Soccer; Soccer - injuries; sporting injuries; sports; sports medicine; Surveillance; Systematic review; women; Germany; sports medicine; football; sports; sporting injuries; women
• ISSN: 0306-3674; 1473-0480; 1473-0480
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-105177

ObjectiveTo review the literature to establish overall, match and training injury incidence rates (IIRs) in senior (≥18 years of age) women’s football (amateur club, elite club and international).DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of overall, match and training IIRs in senior women’s football, stratified by injury location, type and severity.Data sourcesMEDLINE via PubMed; EMBASE via Ovid; CINAHL via EBSCO and Web of Science were searched from earliest record to July 2021.Eligibility criteria for selecting studies(1) football players participating in a senior women’s football league (amateur club or elite club) or a senior women’s international football tournament; (2) the study had to report IIRs or provide sufficient data from which this outcome metric could be calculated through standardised equations; (3) a full-text article published in a peer-reviewed journal before July 2021; (4) a prospective injury surveillance study and (5) case reports on single teams were ineligible.Results17 articles met the inclusion criteria; amateur club (n=2), elite club (n=10), international (n=5). Overall, match and training ‘time-loss’ IIRs are similar between senior women’s elite club football and international football. ‘Time-loss’ training IIRs in senior women’s elite club football and international football are approximately 6–7 times lower than their equivalent match IIRs. Overall ‘time-loss’ IIRs stratified by injury type in women’s elite club football were 2.70/1000 hours (95% CI 1.12 to 6.50) for muscle and tendon, 2.62/1000 hours (95% CI 1.26 to 5.46) for joint and ligaments, and 0.76/1000 hours (95% CI 0.55 to 1.03) for contusions. Due to the differences in injury definitions, it was not possible to aggregate IIRs for amateur club football.ConclusionLower limb injuries incurred during matches are a substantial problem in senior women’s football. The prevention of lower limb joint, ligament, muscle and tendon injuries should be a central focus of injury prevention interventions in senior women’s amateur club, elite club and international football.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020162895.