Preventative strategies for non-contact lower limb injuries among male football players: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Football is a complex team sport with high physical, tactical and technical demands, exposing players to a high risk of both contact and non-contact injuries.
Objectives: To map the range of preventative strategies used to reduce non-contact lower limb injuries among male footballers.
Method: Our study was conducted as a scoping review. The review was guided in five stages: (1) defining the research question; (2) identifying relevant studies; (3) selecting the topic; (4) charting and collecting data; and (5) summarising and reporting the results. The research was guided by the population, concept, context framework, focusing on professional and amateur male soccer players across various age groups. It examined a range of preventative strategies targeting non-contact lower limb injuries, recognising their critical role in reducing player exclusion because of injury. The literature search was conducted across eight electronic databases: PUBMED, CINAHL, PEDro, EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus, Scopus and ScienceDirect.
Results: Twenty-five (out of 617) studies met the inclusion criteria, and their outcomes have been presented. Outcomes revealed various injury inhibition programmes implemented for non-contact lower limb injuries among male footballers, which were: Nordic hamstring exercises, Copenhagen adduction exercise, muscle strengthening, stretching exercises, ankle taping, FIFA 11, FIFA 11+ warm-up programme, preseason preparation, running mechanics, high chronic training loads, bounding exercises and a multicomponent exercise programme.
Conclusion: The study identified a range of preventative strategies commonly employed to reduce the risk of non-contact lower limb injuries among male football players.
Clinical implications: Considering the varying dynamics across teams and competitive levels, these strategies can serve as a valuable framework for developing injury prevention programmes.