Goal post injuries in soccer. A laboratory and field testing analysis of a preventive intervention.
Soccer is the most popular team sport worldwide, with approximately 40 million amateur participants. Most fatalities in soccer are related to player impact with the goal post. This study focuses on two case reports, a laboratory testing phase, and a pilot field testing phase of preventive equipment that can be used around the goal to prevent injury. Horizontal and vertical impact testing in the laboratory revealed impact force was diminished when the goal post was covered with protective padding (reduction of 31% and 63%) (P < 0.05). These data showed a statistically significant decrease in force at all temperatures. In the pilot field testing phase of the study, 471 games were monitored. Soccer teams participating in youth, teen, and adult soccer leagues were included in this phase of the study. During the 3-year study, there were seven player collisions with padded goal posts, and no injuries were recorded. The use of padded goal posts within the game of soccer has been documented to reduce the possibility of injury, both in the laboratory phase and in the pilot field testing phase.