A LEADING academic has backed research which found that young goalkeepers are at "significant" risk of injury from playing with adult-sized footballs.

Experts writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine said that keepers are vulnerable to wrist fractures and other impact injuries because full-sized footballs can be too heavy for their younger joints.

The Football Association makes recommendations on appropriately-sized footballs, but these are not always widely followed.

Professor John Lyle, of Northumbria University, an expert in sports science and a former professional footballer, said that clubs and coaches must do more to protect youngsters.

He said: "There is a well accepted policy, without exception, that games should be adapted to the age of children playing them."

Kevin Boyd, of the Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, monitored children and young adults attending a fracture clinic over 17 months.

Among the 1,920 patients seen, 29 wrist fractures were seen in 28 keepers who had been trying to make a save.

The average age of the injured players was just under 11, and in almost three quarters of incidents an adult- sized ball had been in play.

A full-sized adult ball - size five - weighs up to 450kg and can be kicked at speeds of up to 25 metres a second.

Peter Saint, who runs junior football academies in Stock-ton, said they encouraged young goalkeepers to wear strapping on their wrists to minimise any risk of injury.

He said: "We start five to six year-olds on a very small football and they then move up in sizes before they are old enough to play full 11-a-side.

"But I have never seen a goalkeeper injured in ten years.

"Any academy or club worth its salt fully understands that youngsters aged 11 or under don't play with heavy adult-sized footballs."