Risk factors associated with noncontact time-loss lower-quadrant injury in male collegiate soccer players

Introduction: The incidence of time-loss injury in male collegiate soccer players in the United States (US) is 6.4 per 1000 athletic exposures. With thousands of male athletes competing in soccer at the US collegiate level each year, there is the potential for numerous time-loss injuries that may ultimately impact team success. Thus, identifying risk factors for injury is warranted.Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to determine if preseason functional performance test (FPT) measures (the standing long jump [SLJ] and single-leg hop [SLH] for distance tests) were associated with an increased risk of a noncontact time-loss lower-quadrant (LQ) injury during the season. The secondary purpose of this study was to explore relationships between off-season training volumes and to determine if off-season training habits are associated with time-loss LQ injury.Results: Preseason FPT measures were not associated with an increased risk of time-loss LQ injury in male collegiate soccer players. However, lower levels of off-season training were associated with a threefold increased risk of injury.Conclusion: The SLJ and SLH may not be useful at discriminating risk of injury in male collegiate soccer players. Lower volume of time devoted to training in the off-season is associated with an increased risk of LQ injury.Practical implications: The SLJ and SLH tests should not be used as a screening tool to assess for risk of injury in male collegiate soccer players. The total volume of exercise performed during the week in the off-season is associated with future risk of LQ injury. The preliminary data presented here could be used by coaches to assist with their design of off-season strength training programs. Finally, the normative SLJ and SLH data presented can be used by sports medicine professionals when functionally assessing LE strength and one’s ability to return to sport after injury.