Injury in junior Australian Rules footballers

This paper reports on injuries sustained by Australian Rules footballers aged seven to 17 years, who played a full season of junior South Australia National Football League (SANFL) affiliated school or club competition in 2000. 697 boys provided information on injuries sustained throughout the season. 136 players (19.5% of the total) reported 234 injuries (1.7 injuries per injured player). The leg, the head and face, and hands were the most commonly injured areas, with 43.2% of injuries related to a collision. The majority of injuries were minor, involving soft tissue contusions. The 12-14 year olds playing club competition had the highest risk of injuries, and the most common occurrence of head and hand injuries. Over 60% of injuries occurred in the last two quarters of the game, and 21% of the reported injuries occurred at training. This study identified the need to review rule modification in the young adolescent age groups playing club competition to ensure that growing bodies are not exposed to unsafe playing practices.