Frequency of Shin Guard Use in Youth Soccer: Recommendations vs. Reality

• Published in: Pediatrics (Evanston) 2019-08, Vol.144 (2_MeetingAbstract), p.182-182
• Main Authors: Milanaik, Ruth, Padala, Aidan, Fruitman, Kate, Das, Prithwijit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Females; Guards; Health risks; Injuries; Males; Pediatrics; Personal protective equipment; Protective equipment; Safety; Safety equipment; Schedules; Soccer; Tibia; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 0031-4005; 1098-4275
• DOI: 10.1542/peds.144.2MA2.182

Purpose: There are over 4.2 million registered youth soccer players (YSP) in the United States, with over 100,000 YSP reporting lower extremity injuries. The United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) has taken steps to reduce injuries, including requiring the use of shin guards (SG), which significantly reduce the force of a direct blow to the tibia. Unfortunately, although SG are required for official gameplay, standard safety suggestions are difficult to enforce during practice. As practice accounts for the majority of YSP's schedules, they may be playing unprotected more often than not. The objective of this study is to examine the frequency of SG use among YSP during practice with the intent to investigate to what extent YSP are using proper safety equipment. Methods: Researchers visited YSP fields in urban, suburban, and rural NY areas. The fields were identified using online schedule postings. Gender, age, and the use of SG were recorded. A chi-square test and Pearson product-moment correlation were used to analyze the variance of SG use among different age groups and genders. Results: 394 YSP were observed across 9 age groups, 10-18 years old, 30.71% male. Overall, 58.37% of the YSP observed were wearing SG in practice situations. A significant difference was observed between female and male YSP where females were significantly more likely to wear SG during practice (88.14% vs.43.2%, χ=83.684, p