Evaluation of injuries in youth soccer.

Soccer has rapidly gained in interest in the United States. A paucity of available data on soccer injuries led us to formulate this study to quantitate and categorize injuries acquired during a program of youth soccer (under age 19). A prospective study of 1,272 players showed an injury rate of 2.6 injuries per 100 participants. The injury rate for girls was twice as great as for boys. The under 10-age group was seldom injured (less than 1 injury per 100 participants), but the overall injury rate in the players of secondary school age was 7.7 injuries per 100 participants. Most injuries were not serious. Soccer appears to be a safe activitiy for adolescents and children.