ABSTRACT
The hip adductor, quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups are the most commonly injured muscles in soccer often causing chronic prolonged absence from soccer (Smodlaka, 1979; Muckle, 1981). There are several intrinsic and extrinsic factors which contribute to injury. Although several authors have named likely factors predisposing to injuries, few have actually investigated the relative contribution of various factors towards injuries (Burkett, 1970; Berger-Vachon et al., 1986). Some causative factors are training related, e.g. muscle strength imbalances: (a) over-emphasis on one-sided activities such as kicking may lead to asymmetry or dominance of one leg, i.e. greater than normal differences in strength between contralateral muscle groups; (b) an unfavourable difference between agonist and antagonist muscle groups is considered to leave the weaker muscle group at a disadvantage, e.g. hypertrophy of the quadriceps perhaps at the expense of the hamstrings may be a factor in hamstring injuries. If these factors are identified as responsible for injury, then injuries may be effectively reduced or prevented by appropriate modifications to training regimens.
