Abstract
One hundred and thirteen patients, consecutively admitted to our clinic with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture sustained while playing soccer, were surveyed and the mechanism behind their injury analyzed. The diagnosis was made arthroscopically or by instrumented laxity testing. The findings showed that the vast majority of the injuries were of the non-contact type and that very few were associated with foul play. No player positions were over- or underrepresented and goal keepers are apparently just as prone to ACL injury as their teammates. The findings of this study have helped our understanding of the mechanism behind ACL injuries in soccer and could be an aid to establishing future prophylactic measures. The findings also emphasize that certain injury mechanisms on the soccer field should alert the physician and draw his attention to a possible ACL injury.
Key words
Anterior cruciate ligament injury - ACL - soccer
References
-
1
Andreasen I, Faunoe P, Lund B. et al .
Soccer injuries among youth.
Scand J Med Sci Sports.
1992;
3
62-66
-
2
Arendt E, Dick R.
Knee injury patterns among men and women in collegiate basketball and soccer.
Am J Sports Med.
1995;
23
694-701
-
3
Bjordal J M, Arnøy F, Hannestad B. et al .
Epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in soccer.
Am J Sports Med.
1997;
25
341-345
-
4
Caraffa A, Cerulli G, Projetti M. et al .
Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in soccer. A prospective controlled study of proprioceptive training.
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc.
1996;
4
19-21
-
5
Ebstrup J F, Bojsen-Moller F.
Anterior cruciate ligament injury in indoor ball games.
Scand J Med Sci Sports.
2000;
10
114-116
-
6
Ekstrand J, Gillquist J.
Soccer injuries and their mechanisms: a prospective study.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
1983;
15
267-270
-
7
Ekstrand J, Gillquist J, Moller M. et al .
Incidence of soccer injuries and their relation to training and team success.
Am J Sports Med.
1983;
11
63-67
-
8 Ekstrand J. The prevalence and incidence of ACL injuries in professional soccer players. Rome: ESSKA, Poster 56, April 23 - 27. 2002
-
9 Eriksson E, Svensson L-I, San T K, Vanlentin A. Late results and sequaelae after soccer. Garrett WE Jr The U. S. Soccer Federation Sports Medicine Book of Soccer. Philadelphia; Williams & Wilkins 1996
-
10 FIFA .The international football associations. Homepage: www.fifa.com/history
.
-
11
Heidt R S, Sweeterman L M, Carlonas R L. et al .
Avoidance of soccer injuries with preseason conditioning.
Am J Sports Med.
2000;
28
659-662
-
11b
Hutchinson M, Ireland M L.
Knee injuries in female athletes.
Sports Med.
1995;
19
288-302
-
12
Inklaar H, Bol E, Schmikli S L. et al .
Injuries in male soccer players: team risk analysis.
Int J Sports Med.
1996;
17
229-234
-
13
Lindenfeld T N, Schmitt D J, Hendy M P. et al .
Incidence of injury in indoor soccer.
Am J Sports Med.
1994;
22
364-371
-
14
McNair P, Marshall R, Matheson J.
Important features associated with acute anterior cruciate ligament injury.
NZ Med J.
1994;
103
537-539
-
15
Myklebust G, Maehlum S, Engebretsen L, Stand T, Solheim E.
Registration of cruciate ligament injuries in Norwegean top level team handball.
Scand J Med Sci Sports.
1997;
7
289-292
-
16
Orchard J, Seward H, McGivern J.
Intrinsic and extrensic risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament injury in Australian footballers.
Am J Sports Med.
2001;
29
1
Peter Faunø
Johs. Ewaldsvej 36
8230 Åbyhøj
Denmark
Email: faunoe@stofanet.dk
