Researchers have found that the risk of injury in amateur male soccer and rugby is substantial, particularly mild injuries in competitive matches, with posing a greater risk of injury than soccer.

A three month study by researchers at TCD examined training, match exposure and injuryies sustained status in a group of 75 amateur rugby and soccer players in Ireland.

Participants spent almost 624 hours playing competitive matches and almost 2,968 hours in training - 66 injuries were recorded in questionnaires during the observation period.

Thigh and ankle injuries were the most common in soccer, with 33% of both recorded. Shoulder and thigh were the most common injuries in rugby with 26% and 20% recorded.

All injury types had a greater IR (incidence rate) in matches than in training with over 49 and 99 injuries per 1,000 hours of participation recorded in amateur soccer and rugby respectively.

In soccer, the match injury IR was seven times that of training, and in rugby the match injury IR was 20 times that for training.

In soccer, the risk of injury in amateurs during match play seemed to be higher than in professionals.

"The results of our study indicate that the risk of injury in amateur soccer and rugby is very high, particularly mild injuries in competitive matches," concludes Dominic Farnan, Chartered Physiotherapist at the School of Medicine, Anatomy Department, Trinity College, Dublin.

"Rugby poses a greater risk of injury than soccer, owing primarily to the nature of the tackle and the resulting injuries to the upper limb."

Mr Farnan said injury prevention strategies targeting ankle sprains in soccer, shoulder and knee sprains in rugby and hamstring strains (muscle injury) in both sports are important.

"Such prevention strategies might include hamstring strengthening and specific types of warm-up exercises."

Said Dominic Farnan: "In soccer the risk of injury in amateurs seems to be higher than in professionals. The risk of injury in amateur rugby appears to be similar to the professional game, except for severe injuries which are less likely, this may reflect greater collision forces with higher levels of trauma leading to longer absence from participation in professional rugby."

The study is published in the latest issue of the journal Physiotherapy Practice & Research, published by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists.