Editorial Commentary: Video Analysis of Football (Soccer) Injury Can Guide Rehabilitation and Recovery.

Abstract

Video analysis has emerged as a powerful tool to systematically inspect musculoskeletal injuries in sport, allowing determination of injury mechanism (noncontact, indirect contact, or direct contact), situational pattern, and biomechanics. Approximately 90% of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in professional football players happen without direct contact at the knee level. Noncontact ACL injury increases the risk of sustaining a second ACL injury by 7 times (compared to contact injuries); female football players tend to exhibit even higher rates of injuries without contact. Football ACL injuries generally occur during defensive actions (pressing or tackling) and Achilles tendon ruptures during offensive movements. Biomechanical risks of football ACL injury revealed during video analysis include dynamic knee valgus loading, trunk-pelvis instability, and heel footstrike. Finally, neurocognitive concerns may be linked to injury mechanism, situational pattern, and biomechanics. For example, ACL injury due to neurocognitive prediction error during pressing is seen in over 90% of cases. Integrating corrective biomechanics, movement techniques, and neurocognitive training with on-field rehabilitation may enhance recovery and mitigate risk of future injury.