10 THINGS WE’VE LEARNED THIS MONTH

REPEAT OFFENDERS

Amateur players are more likely to suffer recurrent injury problems than professionals. A study featuring 43 top-level European teams, 19 Swedish first division outfits and 10 Swedish amateur sides found that 35 per cent of amateur players couldn’t shake off a recurring knock, while 16 per cent of pros had repeat injuries.

BE FIRST ON THE SPOT

Finding that sides who go first in a shootout win 60 per cent of the time, two researchers say it would be fairer to alternate the order of kicks after each round, and also allow a team that misses to take first next time.

KANGAROO BOOTS!

Football boots made of kangaroo leather are perceived as being a better fit when compared to leather and synthetic footwear. A study of 20 players found that kangaroo leather ‘felt’ tighter, while synthetic leather boots were deemed to be the loosest of the three materials.

TURN OFF THE HAIRDRYER

Managers and coaches run a higher risk of suffering from voice problems and throat ailments because of their constant bellowing from the touchline. In total, 28 per cent of the 500 coaches examined for a Finnish study had two or more frequently occurring vocal symptoms.

STAND UP, SCAN RIGHT

Injury recovery times could be cut thanks to new upright MRI scanners, which can assess an injured player under their natural load and see the spinal discs when they are exposed to the weight-bearing pressure.

RIGHT KNEE, WRONG RESULT

One in three football injuries are knee-related, according to a new study. The report also discovered that the right knee is more vulnerable: a third as many injuries are suffered by that limb compared to the left.

A GAME FOR THE AGED

Playing football every week helps to build and maintain muscle mass in those most likely to lose it. A new Danish study shows that men aged between 60 and 75 who took part in five-a-side games every week lost weight, but not vital bulk.

FOOTBALL 1 FUNNY BUSINESS 0

Some 56 per cent of Brits have, perhaps unsurprisingly, admitted that “watching football is the moment or activity that gets them excited week-to-week or month-to-month”. The poll also revealed they spend more time each week watching football than having sex.

COLD RECEPTION TO WARM-UPS

Only 54 per cent of amateur players warm up before a game. The study of 1,000 players also found that 18- to 25-year-olds are most likely to get an injury: 50 per cent, compared to 32 per cent of 41- to 50-year-olds.

DIRTY PLAY CAN DISRUPT YOUR GAME

After reviewing the atmospheric conditions at 3,000 football matches between 1999 and 2011, German researchers found that air pollution significantly affects the performance of professional players. Poor-quality air was found to hinder the running ability of midfielders in particular.