Injuries and Illnesses in National Team Male Futsal Players: A Prospective Seven-Year Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and patterns of injuries and illnesses among male national futsal players over a 7-year-period.

Design: Injuries and illnesses were documented in accordance with the "Football-Specific Extension of the IOC Consensus Statement" by a sports medicine physician during training camps and tournaments of the Turkish national male futsal team from 2018 to 2025.

Results: Across 38 camps (355 d, 98 matches, and 264 training sessions), 312 injuries (93 time-loss) and 60 illnesses (12 time-loss) were recorded among 95 players. Time-loss injury incidence rates were 79.5/1000 h in matches and 9.6/1000 h in training. The ankle was the most frequently injured body area, leading to time-loss during matches (18.4/1000 h), while the thigh was most affected in training (3.8/1000 h). Muscle/tendon injuries were the leading cause of time-loss in both matches and training (45.9 and 5.8 injuries/1000 h, respectively) and also accounted for the highest injury burden (370.4 and 7.2 days-lost/1000 h, respectively).

Conclusions: This study highlights the incidence rates and patterns of match and training injuries in male national futsal players, provides novel insights into illnesses, and emphasizes the clinical importance of muscle/tendon and ligament injuries, particularly in the thigh, groin, and ankle, and shows that tailored prevention strategies are needed.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Ligament Injury; Muscle Strain; Sports Injury; Sports Medicine; Surveillance.