Awareness and perceptions of injury risk factors and prevention strategies among female soccer players in Saudi Arabia

Background Awareness of injury risk factors and prevention strategies and strong coach-athlete communication are essential components of players' safety and athletic performance. This study aimed to investigate female soccer players' awareness of injury risk factors and perceptions of preventive strategies and explore the influence of preventive programs on coach-athlete relationship. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 116 female soccer players from 13 Saudi clubs. An online survey collected data on demographics, involvement in injury preventive programs, perceived injury risk factors, and the coach-athlete relationships questionnaire (CART-Q). Awareness and prevention strategy data were analyzed only from participants involved in preventive programs (n = 50). All 116 participants completed the CART-Q. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results Preventive programs were absent in 56.8% of participating clubs, with only 43.2% of players reported that they had access to such programs. In clubs offering preventive programs, physiotherapists were most involved in program delivery (40%), and coaches were mainly responsible for program design (70%), assessment (54%), and implementation (44%). The most commonly perceived risk factors included decreased fitness level (66%) and inadequate preparation (52%). Most prevention programs were evidence-based (84%) and conducted in groups (78%), with stretching (96%) and resistance training (88%) being common activities. Barriers to implementing preventive programs included lack of awareness, insufficient budgets, and limited resources. Players in preventive programs reported significantly higher "commitment" and "complementarity" scores in the CART-Q (p < 0.05), though no significant difference was observed in "closeness" (p > 0.05). Conclusion Findings highlight the need for multidisciplinary injury prevention programs and their positive influence on coach-athlete dynamics among Saudi female soccer players.