Physical Therapy in Sport
Volume 10, Issue 3 , Pages 91-96, August 2009

Hypermobility, injury rate and rehabilitation in a professional football squad – A preliminary study

  • Richard Collinge

      Affiliations

    • UCL Training Ground, London Colney, Hertfordshire AL2 1BZ, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 07974772014; fax: +44 01727821211.
    • ,
  • Jane V. Simmonds

      Affiliations

    • School of Health & Emergency Professions, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK

Received 4 December 2008; received in revised form 6 February 2009; accepted 3 March 2009. published online 06 April 2009.

Abstract 

Objectives

To determine if joint hypermobility is a risk factor for injury in a professional football squad. Primary objectives were to estimate the prevalence of hypermobility amongst a professional football squad and to undertake an audit of injuries sustained over a season. Secondary objectives were to relate the injury audit findings and hypermobility levels to time missed through injury, assessed by training days and competitive first team games missed after musculo-skeletal injury.

Hypothesis

Increasing levels of joint hypermobility may result in an increased risk of injury in a contact sport such as professional football.

Design

A prospective observational study consisting of the Beighton joint hypermobility screen and an injury audit (season 2007/8).

Setting

A second tier, English professional football club.

Participants

Thirty-three male professional footballers aged 18–35 years.

Main outcome measures

The Beighton joint hypermobility screen and a seasonal injury audit.

Results

The prevalence of joint hypermobility was found to be between 21 and 42% depending on the cut-off score used for the Beighton scale. Similar injury rates were found in both the hypermobile and non-hypermobile participants (6.2 as compared to 6.3 injuries/1000h exposure respectively). Once injured, the hypermobile group showed a tendency towards missing more competitive first team games (12 as compared to 5/season in non-hypermobiles) and training days (71 as compared to 31 days/season in non-hypermobiles). These findings were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

The prevalence of joint hypermobility in a cohort of professional footballers is comparable to previous studies in athletic populations and is dependent upon which Beighton cut-off score is selected. It may be inferred from this preliminary study that the return to play timescales in hypermobile individuals may be extended so as to minimise the potential risk of re-injury and limit the socioeconomic costs associated with time out of competition.

Keywords: Joint hypermobility, Laxity, Beighton scale, Professional football, Injury audit, Return to play timeframes

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PII: S1466-853X(09)00020-0

doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2009.03.001

Physical Therapy in Sport
Volume 10, Issue 3 , Pages 91-96, August 2009

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