Growth-related sports injuries among young male professional football players in the Netherlands: a prospective cohort study concerning injury incidence, severity and burden

Objectives: To investigate the incidence, type and location of growth-related sports injuries (GRSI) in youth professional football in the Netherlands. Secondary, to gain more knowledge on the injury severity and burden of GRSI. Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal cohort study, 813 players aged 10–18 are included. Data collection is performed by instructing the medical staff of six professional football club academies to register GRSI by means of standardized forms. Training and match exposure are registered individually on a weekly basis. Injury incidence was calculated as number of GRSI per 1000 hours, injury severity as the median number of days lost in categories and injury burden as the number of days lost per 1000 hours. Results: A total of 62 GRSI were documented in the football season 2021–2022. The total incidence of GRSI was 0.62/1000 hours football exposure. Morbus Osgood Schlatter and Morbus Sever were most common types of GRSI, both with incidence rates of 0.22/1000 hours exposure. About 58.3% of the documented GRSI were classified as major (>28 days lost). Within this group, the mean severity was 55 days time-loss to football. Conclusions: GRSI are relatively common in youth professional football. The most common types are Morbus Sever and Morbus Osgood Schlatter. Morbus Osgood Schlatter has the highest injury severity and burden compared to other types of GRSI.