Epidemiology of injuries sustained by players during the 16th Under-17 South American Soccer Championship.

Abstract Objective We performed an epidemiological study of the traumatic injuries during the XVI South American U-17 Football Championship, 2015. Material and methods Observational surveys submitted by the 10 teams’ medical services of 220 players. Thirty-five games were held and 116 goals (3.31 per game) were recorded. Results 103 lesions, i.e., 2.94 per game or 32.7 injuries per 1000 min, were recorded. Fifty-six were from direct contact and 66 required treatment. 36% were punished by the referees and 26% of injuries led to a yellow or red card. Injuries were most common in the ankle (15 cases), Achilles tendon (14 cases) and thigh (14 cases), followed by trauma to the knee and foot (7 cases each), face and the lumbar region (6 cases each), being rare in the upper extremity. Conclusion Injuries during Soccer World Cup are difficult to predict and prevent, but serious injuries are rare. It is necessary to establish protocols that get adequate health care at all levels to solve problems arising, both in training and during the competition, and be prepared to solve the serious problems that may arise.