Long-Term Injury Survey in a Japanese University Women's Soccer Team.
Toshihiro Maemichi, Tsukasa Kumai
PMID 40182908WHAT IT FOUND
Injuries were far more common during games than practice, with lower limbs, ankles, and knees most affected.
Defenders and first-year players had the highest injury rates. Severe injuries, including concussions and ACL tears, were frequent.
Key findings
01The injury rate during games was significantly higher than during practice across all positions and study years.
02Lower limbs were the most frequently injured site, with ankles and knees being the most common specific locations.
03Defenders had the highest frequency of injuries, and first-year players had the highest injury rate ratio between games and practice.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only a single university team, so results may not generalize to other levels of play or regions. Injury mechanisms (contact vs. non-contact) were not analyzed, limiting understanding of how injuries occurred. Training content details were not recorded, so specific practice risks could not be assessed. Medical history prior to university entry was not recorded, which may have influenced injury rates in first-year players.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these rates apply to all female soccer players; this data comes from a single elite university team in Japan with specific training loads and competition levels.