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Sprains
“Injuries to the ankle, lower leg, and knee (usually sprains) are the soccer injuries that occur most often," says William O. Roberts, MD, FACSM, a member of the medical advisory board for the USA Soccer Cup. "After ankle sprains, medial collateral ligament sprains are most common," Roberts says. The pivoting and lateral movements of soccer contribute to these injuries.
A good warm-up and careful stretching may help prevent some sprains. To avoid unnecessary risk, always check the condition of the field before you play. Don’t play on fields with holes, glass, or rocks.
Read more about:
ankle sprains
knee sprains
Strains
Muscle strains can be caused by:
Pulling a muscle too far in a direction it doesn’t want to go
Contracting a muscle hard against resistance
Contracting a muscle hard when the muscle is not ready
The most common muscle strains in soccer occur with groin muscles, hamstrings, and quadriceps. A muscle strain won’t send you to the emergency room, but it can be painful and can keep you off the field for a few days or weeks. Experts say strains occur frequently in soccer due to constant stop and go movement, or taking a longer stride than muscles can handle.
Good flexibility can lower your chances of muscle strain. Always stretch well after warming up. Focus on stretching the areas most susceptible to strain, but don’t neglect other areas. The more flexible you are, the less likely you are to stretch beyond your capacity and pull or tear a muscle.
Reed says wearing well-fitted cleats with appropriate spikes (longer spikes in softer turf and shorter spikes on dry, hard turf) may also help prevent strains. On especially hard surfaces, you may want to wear a turf shoe with no spikes.
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calf strains
Fractures
The majority of soccer-related fractures are also in the lower extremities, according to orthopaedic experts. Fractures often occur as a result of contact, so wearing protective gear like shin guards is extremely important.
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Clavicle Fractures
Elbow Fractures
Femur Fractures
Foot Fractures
Wrist Fractures
Knee injuries
Knee injuries constitute the most common type of major injury in soccer. Robert Leach, MD, editor of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, estimates that the medial collateral ligament, the meniscus, and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are the parts of the knee most often injured in soccer.
"Many knee injuries, especially ACL ruptures, occur away from contact," says Roberts. They are often the result of putting too much of a load on the knee joint during the sudden stops and starts of soccer, he explains. Therefore, proper footwear, good field conditions, and appropriate strength training are the keys to prevention. Reed suggests working on hamstring, quadriceps, and hip flexor strength in the weight room.
Read more about:
Knee Sprain
Kneecap Bursitis
Meniscal Tear
Head injury
Head injuries, including dental, eye, and brain injuries, constitute about 5 percent of soccer trauma. Closed-head injury is most often the result of a collision between players. Concussion occurs often when players try to head the ball and miss and collide with another player or a goal post.
While there has been some concern that repeated heading of the soccer ball leads to chronic brain injury, the most comprehensive study to date does not suggest that repetitive heading alone causes long-term neurologic impairment.
A study of elite soccer players at the 1993 Olympic Festival showed that properly executed heading was not found to result in any concussive episodes. Correct heading involves use of the frontal bone to contact the ball, the neck muscles to restrict head motion, and the muscles of the lower body to position the torso in line with the head and neck.
And always make sure you hit the ball; don’t let the ball hit you, Reed says. Roberts recommends working to strengthen your neck muscles using isometric exercises. For example, use your hand to provide resistance against your head. Then use your neck muscles to turn your head right, left, forward and backward. To protect your mouth and teeth, wear a fitted mouth guard. You may also want to consider protective eyewear.
Concussions
General prevention tips
As with any sport, a good warm-up is important to an injury-free soccer experience. Sports medicine experts recommend the following routine:
Cardio: Start with a few laps to get your heart rate up.
- Stretching
Focus particularly on the lower body and hips, and don’t forget to stretch your neck gently.
- Passing
Begin with short distance passing, then move gradually into longer distance drives.
- Shooting
Work up from lighter, shorter shots on net to harder shots.
- Sprinting
Include a few short distance sprints.
Finally, don’t play if you are extremely tired and therefore more prone to injury. Hydration and good nutrition will help stave off early fatigue.
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