Exploratory analysis of injuries in professional female youth soccer players

Tamiris Beppler Martins, Bruno Vasco Ferreira Baroni Silveira, Herickson Braga Bussolo3, Rodrigo Okubo.

  • Tamiris Beppler Martins Tamiris Beppler Martins Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina
  • Bruno Vasco Ferreira Baroni Silveira
  • Herickson Braga Bussolo
  • Rodrigo Okubo

Abstract

The increasing investment in women's soccer has raised expectations for performance and, consequently, the risk of injuries, particularly among young athletes. This study aimed to explore the occurrence of injuries in female youth professional soccer players. This was an observational, exploratory, and cross-sectional study. Data collection was conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire. The association between variables such as playing position, injury history, and participation in rehabilitation programs was analyzed using the Chi-square test and, for 2×2 tables, Fisher’s Exact test. Odds ratios were calculated for ankle injuries and physiotherapy follow-up, with a 95% confidence interval and a significance level of 5%. The sample consisted of 32 athletes, with a mean age of 14.34 ± 1.33 years. A total of 24 injuries were recorded, with the ankle being the most affected joint and sprains the most common complication. The majority of athletes (81.3%) had never received physiotherapy follow-up. No statistically significant association was found between physiotherapy follow-up, participation in rehabilitation programs, or playing position and the occurrence of ankle injuries. Ankle sprains were the most frequent injuries among the analyzed athletes.

Published
2025-06-04