Ankle and foot injuries among Tunisian male amateur soccer players: A cross-sectional study

We aimed to study ankle and foot injuries profile among amateur soccer players and to identify eventual risk factors. We carried out a cross-sectional study using a simple self-administered questionnaire based on the (UEFA) Injury Study Questionnaire, The (OSICS) system and the F-MARC consensus statement. The study concerned five amateur male soccer teams from the region of Monastir. Fifty replies were received, giving a response rate of 79%. Half of the players suffered from ankle injuries and 8% presented foot injuries. Among ankle/foot injuries, 68% were acute injuries and 48% were direct injuries. The combinations of injuries that worth attention were acute indirect injuries of the lateral compartment of the ankle as they are the most frequent injuries (14%), and the injuries of ankle posterior compartment as they required the longest absence period (12%). Defenders were the most players suffering from acute indirect injuries. Goalkeepers and midfielders were the most players exposed to acute direct injuries. Only 24% of injured players followed physiotherapy for their injuries. More than half of injured players (56%) reported keeping sequelae. We found that players who suffer from other-body-sites injuries were significantly prone to suffer from ankle/foot injuries (P