Football-related injuries are the major reason for the career end of professional male football players
By
Matthias Koch
Martin Klügl
Borys Frankewycz
Siegmund Lang
Michael Worlicek
Daniel Popp
Volker Alt
Werner Krutsch
August 9, 2021
Objective: To explore how injuries affect the career end and health of retired male football players.
Key Findings: Medical issues were the most significant reason for career end (p ≤ 0.001). Players retiring due to injury had a higher number of injuries per player (p < 0.001). Knee and ankle injuries were significantly associated with retirement due to injury (p < 0.001). Post-retirement, group 1 had lower levels of football activity and higher prevalence of osteoarthritis (p < 0.001). Group 1 reported more symptoms of depression compared to group 2 (p = 0.002). Interpretation: Football-related injuries significantly affect the timing of career end, post-retirement health, and quality of life for professional male players.
Limitations: The study relied on self-reported data, which may introduce bias. The sample size was limited to players from the German leagues, potentially affecting generalizability. Conclusion: Injuries are a major factor in the premature retirement of professional football players, impacting their long-term health and quality of life.
