Comparative Effectiveness of Multi-Component, Exercise-Based Interventions for Preventing Soccer-Related...

Background: Soccer is a high-intensity sport characterized by a considerable incidence of injuries, particularly among professional male players, with injury rates ranging from 5.9 to 9.6 per 1000 player-hours. Lower limb injuries, including those affecting the knee, ankle, hip/groin, and hamstring muscles, are particularly prevalent. Additionally, a history of prior injuries may exacerbate the risk of recurrence. In response to these concerns, various injury prevention programs have been developed and implemented, targeting different genders and age groups. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted with the PRISMA guidelines, critically evaluated randomized RCTs across diverse genders and age groups to assess the efficacy of multi-component exercise-based injury prevention programs in reducing musculoskeletal injuries among soccer players. Comprehensive searches were conducted in ClinicalTrials.gov, CENTRAL, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, with no language restrictions applied. Results: A total of 15 RCTs met the predefined inclusion criteria. The intervention programs were found to be significantly effective in reducing lower limb injuries, with a pooled RR of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.84, p = 0.035). Subgroup analyses further revealed a significant reduction in the incidence of hamstring, knee, and ankle injuries following the implementation of these programs. Conclusions: Multi-component exercise-based injury prevention programs demonstrate considerable efficacy in reducing musculoskeletal injuries in soccer players, spanning various age groups and genders. These findings underscore the potential of such programs in professional soccer injury management and highlight their importance in the development of comprehensive injury prevention strategies.