INJURY PREVENTION IN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS: RESULTS OF A PILOT STUDY

Risk factors for soccer injuries and prevention have been discussed by several authors, but only few have investigated the effectiveness of preventive interventions, in particular in the last few years. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a prevention program on the incidence of soccer-related injuries in three different categories of younger players (Allievi, Giovanissimi e Primavera). The soccer teams took part in a prevention program to decrease injury risk, for two agonistic seasons (2005-06, 2006-07). Before identifying training programs, we valued the younger fitness status: each youth soccer players (aged 13 to 19) performed exercise tests of functional capaci…