It has been previously suggested that programs for the
prevention of sports injuries should begin with the establishment
of the extent of the sports injury problem and
the definitions of the cause and mechanisms of injury.44
However, the medical community specializing in soccer
injuries usually works with data obtained only from elite
players. The origin and cause of injuries in the amateur
population can substantially differ from the ones found in
elite soccer because the physical condition and the soccer
skills of the players and the conditions of the playing field
are factors that influence the occurrence of soccer injuries.6
For example, it has been reported that professional players
present an average of 1.3 injuries per player per season,21
while this value in amateur soccer players was only 0.1
injuries per player per season. This information indicates
that the medical staff of a professional team (composed of
an average of 22 players) can face almost 30 injuries during
a complete season, while the number of injuries in an
amateur team may be only 2 injuries per season. Despite
medical assistance being free of charge for Spanish amateur
soccer players, it is possible that minor injuries were
not reported to the medical services of the RSFF, which
could have lessened the prevalence of injuries per player
and per year. Nevertheless, this low rate of injuries in
the amateur population suggests that the frequency of
sports injuries during a single season in amateur soccer
is lower than in the professional setting.