Injury Rates In Pro Soccer Players During Ramadan

Many of the socio-cultural lifestyle and dietary changes that take place during Ramadan may affect the risk of injury in athletes, but little evidence is available.

Many of the socio-cultural lifestyle and dietary changes that take place during Ramadan may affect the risk of injury in athletes, but little evidence is available.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects over two consecutive years of the holy month of Ramadan on injury rates in 42 professional players of a Tunisian top-level professional soccer team.

Players were retrospectively organized into fasting and non-fasting groups and monitored for 3 months: 4 weeks before Ramadan, during the month of Ramadan (4 weeks), and 4 weeks after Ramadan each year.

During Ramadan, training started at 22.00 h. The circumstances (training/match) and mechanism of injury (traumatic/overuse) were recorded.

What the Study Showed

No significant differences between the three periods were observed for weekly mean training load, training strain, training duration, and Hooper’s Index (quality of sleep, and quantities of stress, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and fatigue).

Compared with non-fasting players, fasters had a lower (P< 0.05) Hooper’s Index and stress during and after Ramadan. No significant difference in injury rates was observed between fasting and non-fasting players. Nevertheless, the rates of non-contact (6.8 vs. 0.6 and 1.1) and training overuse (5.6 vs. 0.6 and 0.5) injuries were significantly higher in fasting players during the month of Ramadan than before or after Ramadan.

Practical Application

  • Ramadan, along with the corresponding changes in nutritional habits, sleeping schedule, and socio-cultural and religious events, significantly increased overuse and non-contact injuries in fasting players despite the fact that the training load, strain, and duration were maintained.
  • When coaching players within Ramadan phases we should be conscious of the implications this will have on our players and adjust accordingly.

Share this article:

image

Share to:

image

FREE GUIDE: Injury Rates In Pro Soccer Players During Ramadan

Download this FREE Guidebook and discover the elite-level techniques that you can apply on your training ground that boost speed, agility, conditioning & power in your players:

More ISSPF Articles

Sign Up Today To Advance Your Career With Our Online Courses

Sign up to our accredited online courses now to build your skills, improve your team and advance your career with the help of an a world-class team.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

To know what difference could an ISSPF course make to your season and your career.

Free Guide
5/5

FREE Guide: Youth Soccer Athletic Development

Download your FREE Guidebook and discover the techniques and strategies that elite coaches use to help young players achieve their full potential. Enter your best email to download it:

By signing up you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Certificate in strength conditioning for soccer performance
5/5

FREE Guide: Strength & Conditioning for Soccer Performance

Discover the elite-level techniques for 
boosting the speed, agility, conditioning & power in your players. Enter your best email to download it:

By signing up you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

free injury prevention report
5/5

FREE Guide: Injury Prevention & Return To Play

Download your FREE Injury Prevention & Return To Play Guidebook. Enter your best email address below:

By signing up you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Injury Report

FREE REPORT: Injury Prevention & Return to Play in Soccer

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.