| Abstract ID |
| 20260077 |
| Category |
| Sports Medicine: Epidemiology and Injury Prevention |
| Preferable Presentation |
| Oral Presentation |
| Title |
| PILOT SURVEY ON ACL INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION IN VIETNAMESE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS |
| Author |
|
| Presenter |
| dong kha to |
| Abstract |
Background Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury is a common cause of prolonged absence and career-threatening disability in professional football. In Vietnam, as the intensity of domestic leagues increases, there is an urgent need to quantify the ACL injury burden and evaluate the efficacy of current medical infrastructures in managing and preventing these injuries among elite athletes. Objectives To investigate the epidemiology of ACL injuries in Vietnamese football, identify prevalent risk factors, and evaluate the current implementation of treatment and preventative practices across professional and local clubs. Study Design & Methods Through the network of Vietnam Football Federation, we conducted a cross-sectional survey collecting responses from 76 medical staff and representatives from various football tiers in Vietnam (including V.League 1, V.League 2, and youth academies). The questionnaire recorded data on ACL injury epidemiology, treatment preferences, rehabilitation process, and injury prevention program utilization. Results A total of 82.9% respondents reported that their clubs recorded injury data, using handwriting records (52.6%), Excel spreadsheets (36.6%) or other tools (11.9%). ACL injuries were most commonly reported in midfielders (49%), followed by defenders (26.5%) and attackers (24.5%). In terms of injury mechanisms, non-contact injuries predominated (62%), compared to contact mechanisms (38%). Related to treatment preferences, 94.3% reported that ACL reconstructions were frequently performed domestically. Prior to surgery, 91.7% indicated that players underwent preoperative rehabilitation. For surgical reconstruction, hamstring autografts (42%) were the preferred choice over patellar tendon (26%), quadriceps tendon (16%) and other choices (16%). Regarding postoperative management, the majority (77.6%) reported that their clubs used standardized post-op ACL reconstruction protocol. Concerning return-to-play timelines, most respondents reported a duration of 9-12 months (54.9%), followed by 6-9 months (33.3%) and more than 12 months (11.8%). 56.9% reported that fewer than 10% of players experienced postoperative instability or re-tear following ACL reconstruction. However, only 23.2% reported using the up-to-date objective assessment tools (such as isokinetic strength test, motion capture or force plate analysis) when determining return-to-play readiness. Regarding injury prevention, while 65.4% reported implementing a standardized prevention program, the remainder lacked any structured protocol. Less than half of respondents (47.9%) reported using an injury prevention program on a daily basis during training. Additionally, 34% reported not routinely screening players for ACL injury risk. Respondents identified hard artificial turf (28.2%), lack of prevention programs (23.1%), and congested fixture schedule (16.7%) as the primary risk factors for ACL tears. 44.2% of respondents reported a need for support in advance training, 28.8% in additional facilities, 19.2% in standard rehab protocol and 7.7% in research collaboration. Conclusions This survey provides the first comprehensive overview of ACL injury characteristics in Vietnamese professional football. While surgical timelines align with international standards, the inconsistent application of prevention protocols, limited use of modern return-to-play assessment tools and the high perceived risk from artificial surfaces suggest that a standardized ACL injury management and prevention strategy is required to protect player longevity. |