Use of Prophylactic Knee Bracing Among Amateur Footballers in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

Knee injuries, particularly to the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament, are prevalent among football players and represent a leading cause of long-term athletic disability. Prophylactic knee bracing is promoted as a preventive strategy, yet uptake and correct usage among amateur footballers in Nigerian communities remain poorly understood. This cross-sectional survey explores the prevalence of prophylactic knee brace use, attitudes toward its adoption, and associated injury rates among amateur footballers in Ibadan, South West Nigeria. Three hundred male players from registered amateur clubs will be recruited using cluster sampling. Data on brace usage, type of brace, reasons for use or non-use, coaching advice received, prior knee injury history, and access to sports medicine services will be collected via structured questionnaire. Chi-square tests and logistic regression will examine associations between brace use and knee injury history. The study anticipates low brace uptake driven by cost, unawareness, and lack of coaching guidance. Findings will be disseminated to amateur football associations in Ibadan and the Nigerian Football Federation's medical committee to inform injury prevention education campaigns. This research adds to the limited evidence base on sports orthopaedic practices in informal athletic settings in South West Nigeria. Keywords: prophylactic knee brace, football injuries, ACL prevention, amateur sport, Ibadan.