# Effectiveness of a soccer injury prevention program based on creatine supplementation and internal load monitoring: a randomized controlled pilot study

## TL;DR

This pilot study suggests that creatine supplementation may help reduce injuries and improve performance in amateur soccer players.

## Contribution

The study explores creatine's potential role in injury prevention, a novel application beyond its traditional use for performance enhancement.

## Key findings

- Creatine showed a trend toward lower injury incidence compared to placebo.
- Creatine improved strength and jump performance significantly.
- Fewer missed training sessions were observed in the creatine group.

## Abstract

Musculoskeletal injuries are frequent in soccer, occurring more often in matches than in training sessions, and mainly affecting the lower limbs. While creatine supplementation is commonly used to enhance performance, evidence regarding its role in injury prevention among soccer players remains limited. This pilot study investigated whether creatine supplementation could reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in amateur soccer players.

A 14-week randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted with 23 amateur soccer players randomly assigned to the creatine group (n = 12; 3 g/day) or the placebo group (n = 11; maltodextrin). Primary outcomes were injury incidence and training availability. Secondary outcomes included isometric strength, countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, perceived pain, well-being, and internal load. Assessments were performed at baseline (January 2025) and post-intervention (April 2025).

Twenty-four players were randomized (12 creatine, 11placebo). Injury incidence was lower with creatine (8.3%) than placebo (36.4%) (RR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.03–1.75; p = 0.155). Missed training sessions were fewer with creatine (0.25 ± 0.87 vs 0.82 ± 1.40; p = 0.135). Significant time × group effects favored creatine for knee extension, knee flexion, hip extension, right hip flexion, and CMJ height (all p < 0.01).

Creatine supplementation improved strength and jump performance and showed a trend toward lower injury incidence, supporting its potential as an adjunct in soccer injury-prevention programs.