PREVALENCE AND PATTERNS OF MUSCLE STRAIN INJURIES AMONG AMATEUR MALE FOOTBALLERS IN NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Lower limb muscle strain injuries represent a significant burden in amateur football, yet epidemiological data from Nigerian community settings remain limited.

Aim: This study determined the prevalence, anatomical patterns, and factors associated with lower limb muscle strain injuries among amateur male footballers in Okofia, Nnewi, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 173 amateur male football players at the College of Health Sciences, Okofia, Nnewi. Participants were recruited using simple consecutive sampling. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, football participation history, injury characteristics, circumstances, management, and prevention practices were collected via a validated structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized the data; chi-square tests examined associations between injury severity and selected factors at the P<0.05 level of significance.

Results: The mean age of participants was 22.94 ± 3.33 years. The prevalence of lower limb muscle strain injuries was 58.4% (101/173). The most commonly affected sites were the thigh (12.1%) and hamstring (12.1%), followed by the calf (11.6%), knee (9.8%), ankle (7.5%), and groin (5.2%). Injuries occurred more frequently during competitions (32.9%) than during training (25.4%). Perceived causes included fatigue (13.9%), overtraining (12.1%), poor warm-up (9.8%), and sudden movements or sprinting (8.1%). Most players (86.1%) believed injuries were preventable, and 74.6% reported regular post-activity stretching. Significant associations (p < 0.001) were found between injury severity and history of injury, injury site, number of previous injuries, time since last injury, circumstance of injury, perceived cause, and performance impact. No significant associations were observed with training frequency (p = 0.874), training duration (p = 0.074), or warm-up practice (p = 0.574).

Conclusion: Lower limb muscle strain injuries, particularly affecting the thigh and hamstring, are highly prevalent among amateur male footballers in this Nigerian community setting. Injury history, anatomical site, and recurrence are strongly associated with injury severity.