Common Soccer Injury Prevention
Soccer is one of the most popular sports around the world–and in the United States. You don’t have to be David Beckham to enjoy this team sport, but you do have to take care of your body and ensure injury prevention.
If you’re like most athletes, you know that such exertion–as fun as it is–can sometimes lead to injuries. These don’t need to sideline you. Below are the five most common soccer injuries and quick tips on how to easily prevent them.
Sprains and Strains
Cause :The most common types of soccer injuries are sprains and strains. These happen when stretch or tear a ligament, muscle, or tendon. Sprains and strains are often caused by not stretching your muscles and warming up properly before the game. This is especially true of those athletes who may not exercise much during the work weeak or who are early in their training plans for the season.
Prevention Tip:One excellent way to make sure your muscles are ready for the field is by using a commonly used technique called foam rolling to stretch your muscles before you head out to the soccer field. This low impact method of warming up your muscles is easy and requires little equipment.
Shin splits
Cause: Shin splints can also be a major problem for soccer enthusiasts. These injuries occur when tendons and bone tissue become over-worked and is followed by a pounding feeling in the front area of your shins. Many start and stop sports such as soccer will increase your susceptibility to getting shin splints.
Prevention Tip: Shin splints can be prevented by making sure that invest in quality cleats and insoles that are shock absorbing. Always make sure you work out regularly and nourish your body with a well balanced diet. These in conjunction with a quality warm up will drastically increase your body’s ability to fight off shin splints.
Pulled Muscles
Cause: Pulled muscles can happen in any sport, but they are especially common in soccer. Typically pulled muscles are caused by not warming up properly, poor flexibility, or poor overall conditioning. Factors such as overexertion and fatigue can play a part in muscle pulls as well.
Prevention Tip: Make sure that you are practicing 2-3 times per week minimum so that your body is not in shock on game day. Invest in cross training such as weekly jogs, yoga, or other flexibility exercises. These additional exercises will keep your body stretched, relaxed, and conditioned to the level it needs to be to participate in higher intensity sports.
Concussions
Cause: One of the most serious types of soccer injuries is a concussion. This happens when you are hit in the head by a person or a soccer ball or when you fall to the ground after a large collision. When you have a concussion, your brain gets knocked around inside your skull. This can cause a number of symptoms, from headaches to loss of consciousness.
Prevention Tip: Decrease the risk of getting a concussion by wearing protective headgear when you play. Today you will find more and more soccer athletes investing in headgear, despite the fashion and comfort complaints. Strengthening your neck muscles is another way to shield yourself from a concussion. Studies have shown that those with stronger neck muscles are a less risk for sport related concussions.
Knee pain
Cause: Soccer players are at a high risk for knee pain. When you consider the amount of wear and tear the game places on your knees, it’s no surprise that knee pain is one of the most common reported pains soccer players experience. Whether it be overuse, lack of proper stretching, or simply colliding with another player at the wrong angle, knee pain is literally a ‘pain’ for seasoned soccer players.
Prevention Tip: If you start to feel minor pain in your knee joints, be sure to take an ice bath and rest it for a few days to not further injury. Keeping off excess weight can be a large contributor as well, allowing your body to not be forced to support extra baggage 5-10 extra pounds causes.
With soccer being such a popular sport amount young children and adults alike, it’s increasingly important that you take care of your body to avoid nagging and common injuries that may take you out of the game. Even the smallest of pains can turn into something much larger and may keep you from playing the sport you love. Keep your body healthy and strong by utilizing the tips above.
