Prevalence and intensity of pain in male and female amateur football players: A prospective cohort study.

To determine the prevalence and intensity of pain due to a football-related injury during activities of daily living and during training and/or match play in both male and female and youth and adult amateur players. A prospective cohort study involving amateur football players. Players (n = 502, median age 18 years, range 14–46) responded to weekly questionnaires during one season, including the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire. Weekly pain prevalence and pain intensity (measured on the numeric rating scale [range 0–10]) during activities of daily living and while playing football were determined. A total of 6601 weekly questionnaires were collected (response rate 63.7 %). Average weekly pain prevalence during activities of daily living was 17.2 % for all players, and 15.7 % among players who participated in training and/or match play. Pain prevalence during training and/or match play was 18.3 % with an average pain intensity of 4.0. In 21.3 % of cases the recorded pain intensity was > 5. Sex, age, and mode of injury onset (sudden or gradual) were not significant predictors of pain intensity. At a given week, one in six football players experiences pain during activities of daily living from a football-related injury. Almost one in five players reports pain while playing football, of whom > 20 % report a pain intensity above 5. Oftentimes, injury-related pain present while playing football transcends to activities of daily living. This warrants further monitoring and adequate management of pain within amateur football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]