Issues Encountered by Physicians During International Travel With Youth National Soccer Teams

Abstract

Background: Little information is available to guide the selection, preparation, and support of a traveling team physician.

Purpose: To determine the types of injuries and medical problems, as well as general team health and performance issues, encountered by physicians traveling internationally with youth national soccer teams.

Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology.

Methods: Physicians assigned to travel abroad with the under-17 men’s and women’s US national soccer teams during a 2-year period documented all encounters with team and staff members. Physicians also documented consultations related to team health and performance issues.

Results: The 108 cases (5.71 per 10 days) were evenly divided between injuries (n = 54) and noninjuries (n = 54). Players sought care at a higher rate than did staff (2.28 vs 1.09 per 100 person days). Mean severity for all player cases was 5.19 days missed (injuries, 10.48; noninjuries, 0.23). Nearly 69% of injuries involved the lower extremities: strains, sprains, and contusions accounted for 74.1% of injuries. Gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and otolaryngologic complaints accounted for 77.8% of noninjuries. Medications were administered in 71% of cases, with analgesics, cough and cold remedies, antibiotics, and gastrointestinal agents accounting for the majority. The leading team health and performance concerns were nutrition/hydration, conditioning, prevention, and doping control.

Conclusion: Physicians traveling internationally with youth soccer teams manage an equal proportion of musculoskeletal and medical problems using simple medications.