Top sports physio says football bosses failing to properly protect players' health this Christmas as injuries expected to rise

CHESHIRE, England, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading sports physiotherapist has criticised the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) for 'prioritising profit over players' by continuing to turn a blind eye to the effects of a squeezed Christmas fixture list, which he says is jeopardising players' health and wellbeing.

Martin Haines, a chartered physio and biomechanics coach, and former lead physiotherapist for both Crystal Palace and Arsenal, says the professional governing football bodies must rethink their approach to how end of year football matches are set. His comments come after a new Real Injury Time report, commissioned by Naprosyn Pain Relief, highlighted the risk of injury to players increases by a third (32 per cent) with fewer than four rest days between games.

This year, a total of 40 Premier League football matches are scheduled to be played between Saturday 20 December 2025 and Sunday 4 January 2026. In a change to previous seasons, fixtures have been organised to allow a minimum of 60 hours of rest between games, but Haines says this still isn't good enough and must be extended.

"Data shows that football is one of the most hazardous team sports at any time of the year," Haines says. "In men's football, a team is likely to lose a player every other game while for women, there's an injury every three games. This can be bad enough for any player and team, but it could intensify over the Christmas and New Year period with clubs forced to play several matches over a much shorter period. This insistence by the Premier League and EFL to squeeze as many games as possible into a few short weeks is simply a case of prioritising profit over players' health and wellbeing."

The Real Injury Time report, which is based on a research analysis by Dr Sean Williams, a leading academic in sports injury prevention from the University of Bath, and expert insights from Haines, also found that many players return to the pitch before their injuries have fully healed, risking further injury.

Haines says this is often due to players feeling under pressure to return: "It's all very well for fans and Premier League bosses to want their star players back on the pitch as soon as possible after injury, but it's one of the worst things you can do for their recovery. It's vital rehabilitation is slow and steady, otherwise players can either find themselves making their original injury worse or causing damage to other parts of their body due to the stress being placed on it. The medical teams realise this and perform excellent work to get players back as quickly as possible however, they are not usually able to make the final decision on when a player plays or not. At this time of year, when players are faced with such a hectic run of games and a higher risk of injury, making sure they are fully fit is more important than ever.

"To minimise the risk of reinjury, rehabilitation and recovery should be managed through a five-phased approach. This should start immediately after injury, incorporating appropriate pain relief, and can take a minimum of 6-8 weeks, depending upon the injury. A core principle is that pain management should not be used to mask symptoms but can be a helpful support in enabling appropriate rehabilitation and mobility when used correctly and as advised by a pharmacist."

Dr Sean Williams, Reader in Applied Statistics & Research Methods, University of Bath, adds: "The evidence shows that following a structured, phase-based approach to rehabilitation, rather than rushing back too quickly, is crucial for safe return to play. This means protecting the injury initially, then progressively building strength and function before returning to full training and matches. Professional or amateur, the rehabilitation principles are the same."

The Real Injury Time report was compiled from a variety of professional player data sources but are considered applicable to players at all levels. The report, commissioned by Naprosyn Pain Relief, covers the most common types of injuries and how they occur, when and why they tend to cluster, and optimal strategies to expedite recovery. It is available to download at https://naprosynpainrelief.com/real-injury-time.

For musculoskeletal injury, Naprosyn Pain Relief is available for the effective relief of short-term muscle pain, including sprains and strains and as an anti-inflammatory treatment. Its active ingredient, naproxen, is a well-established non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has been prescribed for over 40 years for a range of musculoskeletal conditions. It offers dual-effect relief, targeting both pain and inflammation, and can provide powerful lasting relief for up to 12 hours with just one dose. By reducing the chemical messengers that cause inflammation, naproxen addresses the five hallmark signs — pain, swelling, redness, heat and loss of movement; helping people return to their normal activities.

For more information, please contact The Difference Collective:

• Laura Gibson: 07771 933609 / laura.gibson@thedifferencecollective.com
• Anna Gray: 07816 280576 / anna.gray@thedifferencecollective.com

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