Injuries in male versus female soccer players: epidemiology of a nationwide study.

The aim of this study is to analyse soccer injuries on a national scale over one decade and to compare injury rates by gender. Detailed injury data obtained from the Royal Belgian Football Association from seasons 1999-2000 and 2009-2010 were recorded and gender differences in incidences of injuries, type of injury, affected body part and timing of injury were compared. A significant decrease in injuries from 7.56 to 5.96 injuries per 100 players was seen (p<0.0001). Overall male players sustained more cont usions, fractures, joint dislocations and musculotendinous injuries than female players. Proportionally, females sustained more severe injuries than men (p<0.0001). Significantly more injuries where sustained during competition in both males and females. The number of injuries in male and female soccer players has decreased over the past decade. A higher injury rate was seen in men but proportionally, females sustained more severe injuries.