Objective

We sought to report on the demographics and epidemiology of knee cartilage injuries and preferred management in soccer players, across FIFA Medical Centers of Excellence (FMCE).

Methods

A designated descriptive questionnaire focusing on characteristics of knee cartilage injuries and their management in soccer players was sent to all FMCE around the world in September 2019 via an online platform. Voluntary responses from centers were processed and analyzed.

Results

15 centers from 5 continents responded to the questionnaire and reported on a total of 4426 soccer players. Among centers, mean age was 27 years old (range: 10-60), a mean of 76% were male (range: 40%-95%) and a mean of 22% were professional players (range: 4%-89%). The most common reported etiology for cartilage injury was traumatic (mean: 45%, range: 8-90) and the most common location was the medial femoral condyle (mean: 29%, range: 13-85). The most common non-operative treatment utilized was physical therapy (mean: 76%, range: 40%-100%) and the most common operative treatment utilized was bone marrow stimulation/micro-fracture (mean: 39%, range: 1%-80%).

Conclusions

This study provides an important overview of the demographics and current trends in the management of soccer players with symptomatic cartilage injuries, based on the experience of FMCE from around the world. Our findings emphasize the need for collaborative efforts aiming to bridge the gap in knowledge and solve ongoing controversies in the management of these challenging injuries.

This study was funded by the FIFA Medical Department.