ABSTRACT
The aims of this study were to provide descriptive epidemiology data regarding injuries amongst all age groups from Under-9 to Under-18, over a period of one season. Furthermore, the influence of peak height velocity (PHV) offset in relation to injury occurrence and the impact of overuse versus traumatic injuries in relation to PHV were also investigated. It was hypothesised that age at PHV onset may affect the risk of injury incidence and injury type, with an emphasis on overuse injuries and the length of lay-off in national level youth Qatari soccer players. The preliminary investigation using one season's injury data is the first prospective cross-sectional study to consider the injury epidemiology in elite Qatari youth soccer players in relation to somatic maturity. This epidemiology report on youth Qatari male soccer players provides an outline of injuries associated with peak height velocity. Although incidence of traumatic injuries was greater in different maturity status groups, overuse injuries resulted in a longer lay-off.
