Abstract
3/2025
vol. 42
Original paper
Non-contact injury incidence in professional women’s football depends on the starting status of the player
- Sports Research Center, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Alicante, Spain
- Center for Translational Research in Physiotherapy. Department of Pathology and Surgery. Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, San Joan, Spain
- Sport Performance Department, FC Barcelona Sports, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Granada, Spain
- Sport Sciences Research Centre, Rey Juan Carlos University, Fuenlabrada, Spain
- School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Suffolk, Ipswich, United Kingdom
- Medical Department of Futbol Club Barcelona, FIFA Center of Excellence, and Barça Innovation Hub Barcelona, Spain
Biol Sport. 2025;42(3):99–107
Online publish date: 2025/01/20
This study aimed to determine differences in the incidence of non-contact injury in professional women football players with different starting statuses. Data from 37 women (age: 28.5±3.9 years; body mass: 62.3±5.2 kg; height: 169.8±4.7 cm) from a professional football team (Professional Women’s Football League from Spain) were prospectively collected during two consecutive seasons. Players were classified according to their match starting status as starters (players with > 70% of matches in the starting lineup; n = 20) and non-starters (n = 17). External load parameters were collected using GPS in all training sessions and matches. Non-contact injuries were diagnosed, classified, and recorded by the medical staff following the IOC consensus. Statistics included comparisons of starters vs. non-starters and linear regression and diagnostic analyses of injured vs. non-injured players. Non-starters accumulated less match load over the season but had two-fold non-contact injury incidence and three-fold muscular injury incidence during matches than starters, despite being exposed to a similar training load. The larger the number of matches played as a starter, the fewer injuries (non-contact: R2 = 0.27, p = 0.01; muscular: R2 = 0.11, p = 0.04). Diagnostic analyses identified clinical thresholds for insufficient match and training loads during the season accounting for higher injury risk. Less than 5,237 decelerations and 25 matches as a starter per season during training was the best indicator to discriminate players with less likelihood of non-contact injury. Football players with less match exposure from a women’s professional squad may be more prone to injury due to under-exposure to the demands of the game.
Keywords
Load monitoring, Performance, Tracking, Soccer, Team sports, Elite athlete
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