Figure 2: Distribution of injuries sustained at specific periods during the year in 1997-98 and 2003-04 seasons. Values shown are percentage of total injuries sustained in each season.
Figure 3: Nature of all injuries sustained in 1997- 98 and 2003-04 seasons. Values shown are percent- age of total injuries sustained in each season.
training may have been tailored over recent years to be less demanding following the end of season break, thus gradually re- introducing players to the physical demands of training. Also, with the advances in UEFA coaching qualifications and the employment of professionally qualified conditioning coaches, more appropriate conditioning methods are likely to be adopted.
Surprisingly, the number of injuries sustained during March and April 2004 were significantly higher than the corresponding months in 1998 (p
Overall incidence The total number of injuries recorded was not different between seasons, however the mean number of days missed due to injury was significantly greater in 2003-04 24.6 +/- 0.8 versus 30.7 +/- 1.0; p
Severity Slight Minor
Moderate Major
1997-98 9.7
22.6 45.4 22.3
2003-04 9.4
21.8 41.8
26.9*
*Significant difference between 1997-98 and 2003-04 seasons; p
Table 1: Severity of injuries sustained during 1997-98 and 2003-04 seasons expressed as percentage of total injuries per season.
Type of injury Strains (36.3% vs. 33.0% of all injuries) and sprains (18.5% vs. 15.6%) were the most frequently observed injury in both 1997-98 and 2003-04, with no significant difference between seasons. The 2003-04 season saw a significant decrease in the number of inflam- matory synovitis, muscular contusions, tendonitis, and overuse injuries (p
The 2003-04 season saw a significant decrease in the number of adductor longus (p
Figure 4: Medical
classification of injuries sustained in 1997-98 and 2003-04 seasons. Values shown are percent- age of total injuries