The epidemiology of soccer-related injuries in adolescent male scholars in Ndwedwe District, KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Soccer is the most played sport in South African schools, with adolescents actively engaging in the sport. The existing literature highlights a high injury rate related to soccer, with most studies conducted in high-income countries and urban areas. In contrast to these settings, rural areas have fewer resources and limited access to healthcare facilities; therefore, those findings cannot be extrapolated to rural settings. Thus, this study aims to determine the prevalence (point and at 12 months), selected risk factors, and impact of soccer-related injuries in rural adolescent male scholars in Ndwedwe District, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, to further enhance literature regarding soccer-related injuries. METHODS The study used a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional survey design to collect information from rural adolescent male soccer players from the Ndwedwe District, KwaZulu Natal. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select schools in the district to partake. The questionnaire was hand-delivered and distributed, with a response rate of 82.7% (n=233). Data were captured and analysed using IBM SPSS (version 26). RESULTS The lifetime prevalence of soccer-related injuries was 70.4%, with a point injury prevalence of 36.1%. Most injuries occurred during matches (71.1%), particularly on hard playing surfaces (p=0.016), and predominantly affected the lower limbs, especially the knee and foot (28.8% and 24.5% respectively). A lack of medical support was evident, with 71.3% indicating that no medical personnel were present at the time of injury and 38.4% reporting that they received no treatment. Injuries negatively affected participation, with 62.8% of injured players taking a break from soccer as the injury resulted in a financial burden, of travel and treatment costs, on their families. CONCLUSION Soccer-related injuries among rural male adolescent soccer players in Ndwedwe District are common and were associated with environmental and contextual factors and resulted in substantial personal and financial consequences. These findings highlight the need for improved playing surfaces, enhanced access to medical support, and targeted injury prevention strategies in rural school sports settings.