Ecological determinants of Football Injuries: A Case Study of Lusaka Based FAZ Football Teams

Abstract

Background: In Zambia, the rate of occurrence of injuries in the super division and division one teams, which are highly competitive leagues, have not been documented. Currently, there is a wide gap of information about football injuries because there is no routine injury surveillance system in place within FAZ that captures all time-loss injuries suffered by players. Research questions: Based on the statement of the problem, this study sought to answer the following research questions: What is the prevalence of injuries in football teams affiliated to FAZ? What types of injuries are sustained by football players? In addition, what factors contribute to football injuries? Methodology: This was a cross sectional exploratory and descriptive study involving seven teams or clubs in Super League and six in division one. Two hundred and seventeen players were randomly sampled. A survey questionnaire was administered to all eligible players. Univariate, bivariate analysis and multivariate analyses were done after recoding the data. Statistical analyses were performed with use of the Statistical Analysis System 6.03 edition (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, North Carolina). The Wilcoxon test was used for comparison of median values when the distributions were not normal, as was the case for many of the variables examined (age, levels of education, level of playing football, experience, intrinsic and extrinsic factors). The chi-square and Fisher’s exact test were used for comparisons of categorical data. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used as an exploratory technique to determine whether baseline variables were associated with the occurrence of subsequent injury. A p value 0.05 was used to define statistical significance. Results: n = 71 football players were on the injury list. Of these 71, n = 15 were from the super division and n = 56 were from the first division. Injury rate showed no statistical association between level of playing football (value = 0. 331, df = 1 and the observed p value was = 0.565. n = 170 (78.3%) had not suffered a similar injury before during training as compared to those who had suffered from any injury n = 47 (21.7%). Footballers sustained injuries afflicting nearly every organ or site. There was no significant difference in terms of type of injury sustained if we examined the level of playing be it super division and division I (p was 0.00, t was 61.77 at df 216).While footballers could be injured under various, contact mediated mechanisms n = 52 (24.0%) seemed to have a greater effect, than running n = 41 (18.9%) and collisions. Circumstances n = 36 (16.6%). All injury factors were not statistically significantly associated with football injuries within the teams. However, regression analyses show linear relationships between unsuitable equipment as well as unsuitable turf to be responsible for injuries in both the super league division and division leagues. Conclusions: This study illustrates that the rate (32.7%) of self-reported and observed football injuries among super division and division I football teams is worrisome. Ecologic factors are not statistically associated with football injuries. This was the first study to evaluate the rate of football injuries and see how these are associated with ecological factors in this part of the world. Future studies may need to be extended to other towns and lower leagues to have a broader picture. There is need to address preventive and health promotional needs of football players. 1 CHAPTER ONE - BACKGROUND 1.0 Introduction