Sports injuries among male futsal players in Herat, Afghanistan: a cross-sectional study.

backgroundFutsal involves repeated high-intensity movements, rapid direction changes, and frequent player contact, all of which may contribute to injury risk. Evidence on futsal-related injuries from low-resource and post-conflict settings remains limited. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology and correlates of self-reported futsal-related injuries among male league players in Herat, Afghanistan.

methodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 229 active male futsal players registered in the Premier League and First Division leagues in Herat. Participants were recruited using an attempted census of accessible eligible players from participating teams. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometry, lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, training characteristics, FIFA 11 + use/awareness, and career/lifetime futsal-related injury history. Injury was defined as any physical complaint sustained during futsal training or match play. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to examine exploratory associations with injury history.

resultsOverall, 207 players reported at least one career/lifetime futsal-related injury, yielding a prevalence of 90.4%. Injuries most commonly involved the ankle (48.0%) and knee (32.3%); ankle sprain was the leading injury type (55.9%). Most injuries occurred during matches (75.1%) and were mainly attributed to opponent contact (55.0%) and unsuitable venues (26.6%). In bivariate analysis, injury history was associated with age (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.002), economic status (p = 0.007), employment status (p = 0.032), and weekly training frequency (p = 0.012). In exploratory adjusted analyses, higher odds of reported injury history were observed for age 25-34 years (OR = 9.519, p = 0.032), good/very good economic status (OR = 31.284, p = 0.014), evening training (OR = 5.772, p = 0.049), and venues reported as only sometimes suitable (OR = 3.492, p = 0.047).

conclusionThis study provides the first epidemiological description of self-reported futsal-related injuries among male league players in Herat, Afghanistan. The findings indicate a high reported burden of injury, especially involving the lower limb, and suggest that injury-prevention strategies should prioritize player education, safer and more consistent playing environments, and prospective injury surveillance. Adjusted associations should be interpreted cautiously because of the cross-sectional design, lifetime injury recall, and sparse non-injury events.