Anthropometric Injury Risk Factors in Elite-standard Youth Soccer

The aim of the study was to investigate whether an increased risk of injury occurrence can be determined through frequent anthropometric measurements in elite-standard youth soccer players. Over the course of one season, we followed 101 male elite-standard youth soccer players between 11 and 19 years of age. Height and body mass were monitored at monthly measurement intervals and fat percentage was assessed every 3 months by use of the sum of skinfold method. Growth in height (cm), alternations in body mass index (kg/m(2)), fat percentage and fat-free mass index (kg/m(2)) were calculated. Injuries were recorded in accordance with the recommendations of the FIFA Consensus Model for Injury Registration. Odds ratio scores and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated using binary logistic regression analyses. The following anthropometric injury risk factors were identified: >= 0.6 centimeter growth per month (p = 0.03; OR = 1.63; 95 % CI: 1.06-2.52), >= 0.3 kg/m(2) increase of body mass index value per month (p = 0.03; OR = 1.61; 95 % CI: 1.04-2.49) and low fat percentage; i.e., <7 % for players aged 11-16 and <5 % for players over 16 years (p = 0.01; OR = 1.81; 95 % CI: 1.18-2.76). Individual monitoring of anthropometrics provides useful information to determine increased risk of injury occurrence in elite-standard youth soccer.