## 4 Discussion
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c} \hline \hline
**Variable** & **With Knee Injury (n = 39)** & **Without Knee Injury (n = 65)** & \(p\) **Value** & **Odds Ratio** \\ \hline
**Duration of playing** & & & & \\
**football M \(\pm\) SD** & 5.79 \(\pm\) 1.96 & 3.98 \(\pm\) 2.17 & 0.002 * & 1.51 \\
0–1 year n (\%) & 1 (2.6) & _3 (4.6)_ & & \\
1–3 years n (\%) & _2 (5.1)_ & _33 (50.8)_ & & \\
3–5 years n (\%) & _14 (35.9)_ & _14 (21.5)_ & & \\
3–5 years n (\%) & _22 (56.4)_ & _15 (23.1)_ & & \\
**Player position n (\%)** & 39 (37.5) & 65 (62.5) & & \\
**Goalkeeper** & _5 (12.8)_ & 12 (18.5)_ & _0.54_ & \\
**Striker** & _6 (15.4)_ & _10 (15.4)_ & _0.59_ & 1.48 \\
**Drefinder** & _11 (28.2)_ & _22 (33.8)_ & _0.29_ & 1.59 \\
**Midfielder** & _17 (43.6)_ & _21 (32.3)_ & _0.75_ & _0.76_ \\
**Playground surface n (\%)** & 36 (100) & 65 (100) & 0.99 & 6187 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
* Indicates significant correlation at the \(p<0.05\) level.  
\end{table} 
Table 2: _Cont._results of our investigation exhibit partial consistency with the outcomes of [PERSON] et al. [8] and [PERSON] et al. [18], who reported a knee injury prevalence of 61.2% based on MRI assessments, with ACL tears ranging from 26.2% to 41.8% and meniscus tears observed in 44.9% of instances. The observed disparities in prevalence may be attributed to variations in population demographics and age groups. The severity and nature of knee injuries play a pivotal role in determining the recovery time, with more severe injuries necessitating prolonged periods of rest, rehabilitation, and treatment. The impact of an injury can be gauged by its severity and the number of missed training days or competitive matches [10]. In our study, 56.4% of all injuries resulted in time loss, typically entailing 21 days or more away from football. Moreover, the majority of severe injuries occurred during matches. This finding contrasts with that of [PERSON] et al. [15], who reported that 65.9% of all injuries led to time loss, often resulting in absence from football for one week or less. Although the type and severity of the injury likely influenced the decision for surgical management [19], 23% of all knee injuries underwent surgical procedures in this study. This may be attributed to the predominance of muscular injuries, which may necessitate several weeks to months for complete healing. Assessing the risk of knee injuries, our present study indicates that a one-unit increase in age is associated with a 1.6 times reduction in the likelihood of sustaining a knee injury. These findings may be linked to the impact of maturation status on injury patterns [16] and the existence of muscle strength imbalances [20; 21] within this specific population. This interpretation finds support in the work of [PERSON] et al. [18], who demonstrated that individuals in the younger adult age group (16-30 years) faced a 1.5 times higher risk compared to their middle-aged counterparts (31-45 years), underscoring the role of age as a significant factor in knee injury prevalence. Additionally, [PERSON] et al. [22] identified a higher incidence of joint strains and bone stress injuries among players in the U16, U17, and U18 age categories, with the most substantial burden observed in U16 players. In examining weight, height, and BMI as potential risk factors for knee injuries in youth footballers, our study reveals that a one-unit increase in weight is associated with 0.42 times decrease in the likelihood of sustaining a knee injury. Conversely, a one-unit increase in height is associated with an approximately 3.01 times increase in the odds of experiencing a knee injury, while a one-unit increase in BMI results in a 15.97 times increase in the odds of knee injury occurrence. Despite limited comparative studies, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of weight, height, and BMI on youth football players may elucidate the factors influencing knee injury development. Specifically, the interplay of weight and height can contribute to muscle imbalances, heightening the risk of knee injuries [20].