Injury and illness surveillance in the A-leagues

Knowledge of the patterns of the common injuries and illnesses experienced by professional football (soccer) players in Australia is helpful to guide training session planning, develop prevention strategies, and policies to optimise player health. The aim of this research is to describe, and compare between sexes, the incidence, prevalence, mechanism, and characteristics of injuries and illnesses sustained by Australian professional men and women football players. We also aim to examine the risk factors for reported injuries and illnesses.