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

Abstract

Objective: To 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).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of overall, match and training IIRs in senior women's football, stratified by injury location, type and severity.

Data sources: MEDLINE 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.

Results: 17 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.

Conclusion: Lower 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 number: CRD42020162895.

Keywords: football; sporting injuries; sports; sports medicine; women.