Medical conditions and illness in elite football players during international competition
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: Previous clinical research of football players participating in international tournaments has mainly focussed on documentation of injuries and risk factors for injury. However, despite anecdotal evidence that medical symptomatology, illness and medical complaints are common during travel to international competitions, the epidemiology of medical conditions before, during or after elite level football tournaments, has not been well documented. Objective: The aims of the research presented in this dissertation were: 1) to determine the prevalence of medical conditions in elite football players 2) to determine the incidence and nature of medical conditions and illness in the elite football players participating in an international tournament (2009 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament) and 3) to provide data for the medical planning and management of elite football players during future events. Methods: The first component of this dissertation consisted of a comprehensive review of the current literature describing the prevalence and incidence of medical conditions and illness in athletes. The original research component of this dissertation consisted of two parts, and both studies were conducted during the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament, which was held in South Africa in June 2009. All the players in the 8 participating teams (23 players per team – a total of 184 players) were approached by the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC) through their team physicians and invited to participate as research subjects in the studies. Part 1 (descriptive cross-sectional study): Prior to the tournament, all the players completed a previously validated medical history and illness questionnaire. Furthermore, the questionnaire contained sections on player demographics, training history, medication and supplement use, life-style history, family history of atopy, current and past history of medical conditions and detailed sections pertaining to upper respir…
abstract: Background: Previous clinical research of football players participating in international tournaments has mainly focussed on documentation of injuries and risk factors for injury. However, despite anecdotal evidence that medical symptomatology, illness and medical complaints are common during travel to international competitions, the epidemiology of medical conditions before, during or after elite level football tournaments, has not been well documented. Objective: The aims of the research presented in this dissertation were: 1) to determine the prevalence of medical conditions in elite football players 2) to determine the incidence and nature of medical conditions and illness in the elite football players participating in an international tournament (2009 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament) and 3) to provide data for the medical planning and management of elite football players during future events. Methods: The first component of this dissertation consisted of a comprehensive review of the current literature describing the prevalence and incidence of medical conditions and illness in athletes. The original research component of this dissertation consisted of two parts, and both studies were conducted during the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament, which was held in South Africa in June 2009. All the players in the 8 participating teams (23 players per team – a total of 184 players) were approached by the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC) through their team physicians and invited to participate as research subjects in the studies. Part 1 (descriptive cross-sectional study): Prior to the tournament, all the players completed a previously validated medical history and illness questionnaire. Furthermore, the questionnaire contained sections on player demographics, training history, medication and supplement use, life-style history, family history of atopy, current and past history of medical conditions and detailed sections pertaining to upper respir…
author: Theron, Nicolas Charle
language: eng
date published: 2010
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:22:50Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: MRC/UCT RU for Exercise and Sport Medicine

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9034