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General
prevention tips
First the men's soccer
World Cup came to the U.S. in 1994. Then the U.S. women's national soccer
team won the World Cup in 1999. The most popular sport in the world is
getting plenty of attention in the U.S. these days, and more Americans
than ever are playing it.
Soccer is a great
way to build endurance, improve speed, and promote fitness, all while
enjoying the camaraderie of a team sport. And according to experts, soccer
is a relatively safe activity, with an injury rate of one-fifth to one-half
of that in American football. But you can still get hurt. Soccer involves
quick start-and-stop motions and physical contact, which can lead to injury.
Risk of injury is
no reason not to play soccer, though. Soccer players just need to be aware
of the risks and know what steps they can take to play as safely as possible.
- 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.
Read more about:
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.
Read more about:
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.
Read more about:
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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