by:BTF
Monday, March 8, 2010
Although soccer can help you keep active and fit, the number of soccer related injuries have been steadily growing over time, along with the overall popularity of the sport in North America. That said, all players should keep injury prevention as a high priority. Many injuries can be avoided with just a few precautions. We will review the most common injuries related to the beautiful (yet physical) game. Head / Neck Injuries One of the more common injuries. Although brain damage associated with heading the ball is mainly applicable to children under thirteen years of age, all players should incorporate proper technique when heading the ball. This means keeping the head and neck rigid while using the body's momentum to force the ball up and away. In addition to head injuries, if you do not head the ball correctly, neck injuries can also be commonly sustained. When challenging a ball in the air, always be aware of the opposing player's position and proximity in order to avoid dramatic collisions which can commonly result in head injury (concussions, severe contusions, etc.) as well as neck injury. Ankle Sprains Spraining your ankle is another very common soccer injury, which actually accounts for about 1 in every 3 soccer related injuries incurred. The seriousness of an ankle sprain can be great and often these injuries result in more pain than associated with braking an ankle. Commonly, the ankle is sprained if the foot twists more then your ligaments allow, stretching them farther then they should. To help avoid ankle sprains, you should make sure that the shoes you wear offer support to your ankles, are of high quality and have good traction. Stabilization of the ankle when playing is key. Knee Injuries Knees are often sprained when the body is twisted without the foot moving around too; foot is "buried into the ground" so to speak. To help avoid these types of injuries, it is also good to warm up and practice twisting quickly without using only your knee for the leverage. Try to use the ball of your foot to rotate, move/slide your feet actively with every turn and not rely solely on your knees to change direction. Wearing a knee guard is a sound preventative measure since it will absorb some of the shock of any fall or collision. Shin Injuries Kicks to the shins can cause fractures of the tibia - plain and simple. Often when performing some "fancy footwork" around a ball, the opposing player will often kick "accidently" into your shins. To avoid this injury, make sure you wear shin guards and also try to be careful when you are kicking, as your follow-through can be just as dangerous to your shins. Abductor and Hamstring Strains The "over-stretching" of muscles can lead to many different strains. If the stretch is sideways, the probable injury is abductor strain. If the stretch is forward with the leg, the injury might be a hamstring strain. To avoid the over-stretching of muscles, you should always warm up properly before each soccer practice and sound judgment should be used when reaching a ball. When injuries of this nature do occur, it is common that the ball cannot be reached and the excessive over-stretching (or over-extending) will simply result in injury. Additional Advice At the end of every game, you should always remember to stretch. This will save you hours of pain from sore muscles. Drink plenty of water in each break to keep your body hydrated. When running breathe through your nose to retain the humidity more and to filter the air. At the beginning of the season, make sure you start at a comfortable pace. If you have been on hiatus for the winter, your body will not be used to the same pace you played at in the conclusion of last season. Get reacquainted to the pace and remember that avoiding injury and being an active contributor to your team on the field should be of the utmost importance. |
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