Injuries and Illnesses in National Team Male Futsal Players: A Prospective Seven-Year Cohort Study.

Abstract

To evaluate the incidence and patterns of injuries and illnesses among male national futsal players over a seven-year-period. Injuries and illnesses were documented in accordance with the 'Football-Specific Extension of the IOC Consensus Statement' by a sports medicine physician during training camps and tournaments of the Turkish national male futsal team from 2018 to 2025. Across 38 camps (355 d, 98 matches, 264 training sessions), 312 injuries (93 time-loss) and 60 illness (12 time-loss) were recorded among 95 players. Time-loss injury incidence rates were 79.5/1000 hours (h) in matches and 9.6/1000h in training. The ankle was the most frequently injured body area leading to time-loss during matches (18.4/1000h), while the thigh was most affected in training (3.8/1000h). Muscle/tendon injuries were the leading cause of time-loss in both matches and training (45.9 and 5.8 injuries/1000h, respectively) and also accounted for the highest injury burden (370.4 and 7.2 d-lost/1000h, respectively). This study highlights the incidence rates and patterns of match and training injuries in male national futsal players, provides novel insights into illnesses, and emphasizes the clinical importance of muscle/tendon and ligament injuries, particularly in the thigh, groin and ankle, and show that tailored prevention strategies are needed.