soccer injury prevention

This issue we will go through the principals of Soccer Injury Prevention; the basics of warm up, injury prevention and a proper cool down routine. With this little guide, it should point you in the right direction for an injury free season. Enjoy!

WARM UP
Warming up is often overlooked but is an important part of your injury prevention routine. Too often we get people in who were stuck for time, and dashed straight from work, to the car, to a match, having done no warm-up, only to succumb to a pulled muscle a few minutes later.

A good warm up will:

• Increase the temperature, blood flow and oxygen content of the muscle.
• Increase the speed of nerve impulses
• Increase range of motion at joints

All of these reduce the risk of tearing muscles and ligaments, and help to make you faster-therefore warm up should not only help to avoid injury but should also improve performance!

A warm up should consist of:

• A pulse raiser! Jogging is a good example as it requires no equipment and can begin at a slow speed and gradually increase. Cycling and Skipping can also be used for warm up. It is always a good idea to perform a warm up that is most similar to the sport you are preparing for.
• Stretching should be performed after the pulse raiser, as by then the muscles are warmer and more elastic. There is a debate surrounding the best method of stretching, but the general consensus now is that dynamic stretching (active stretching) is most appropriate. This involves moving the muscle through its range, gradually increasing this each time in order to stretch the muscle. Static stretches can also be used in order to stretch specific problem muscles. Static stretches should be performed after dynamic ones as the muscle should be thoroughly warm. Common areas of tightness in most soccer players include the calf muscle, hamstrings, quads and groin.
• Sports specific exercises and drills. It is important to practise common movement patterns and skills which will be used in the match. This will help improve performance through ensuring the muscles are prepared for the task in hand, it will also improve co-ordination reaction times and accuracy. Examples include: dribbling drills, passing drills, shooting drills and cutting manoeuvres.

The warm up should last anything between 10 and 30 minutes. If you don’t have the time, still do something- it will all help. Conversely, don’t warm up too early as the benefits are lost after about 30 minutes of inactivity.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON SOCCER INJURIES?
Injuries to the lower extremities are the most common in soccer. Traumatic injuries, such as sprains and strains, are the most common lower extremity injuries in soccer. The severity of these varies. Cartilage tears and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in the knee are some of the more common injuries that may require surgery, whereas sprained ankles usually don’t require surgery but do need rehabilitation to prevent recurrent sprains.

Overuse injuries occur more gradually, such as shin splints or Achilles tendon pain, and are caused by abnormal strain being put on a certain part of the legs. This is usually due to training faults, unsuitable or overworn footwear, or a muscle imbalance, where the muscles in the core and legs are not operating ideally.

HOW ARE SOCCER INJURIES TREATED?
With an acute traumatic injury, participation should be stopped immediately until the injury is evaluated and treated properly. Most injuries are minor and can be treated by a short period of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). Ice should be applied 10 minutes on, then 10 minutes off, and repeat.

HOW CAN I HELP TO PREVENT INJURY?
• Use well-fitting cleats and shin guards — there is some evidence that molded and multi-studded cleats are safer than screw-in cleats.
• Be aware of poor field conditions that can increase injury rates.
• Use properly sized synthetic balls — leather balls that can become waterlogged and heavy are more dangerous, especially when heading.
• Hydrate adequately — waiting until you are thirsty is often too late to hydrate properly.
• Maintain proper fitness — injury rates are higher in athletes who have not adequately prepared physically.
• After a period of inactivity, progress gradually back to full-contact soccer through activities such as aerobic conditioning, strength training, and agility training.
• Avoid overuse injuries — more is not always better! Many Health Care Professionals believe that it is beneficial to take at least one season off each year. Try to avoid the pressure that is now exerted on many athletes to over-train. Listen to your body and decrease training time and intensity if pain or discomfort develops. This will reduce the risk of injury and help avoid "burn-out"

COOLING DOWN
This is also often overlooked in favour of the bar (!) but can help avoid injuries and boost performance. The aim of the cool down is to:
• Gradually lower heart rate.
• Circulate blood and oxygen to muscles, restoring them to the condition they were in before exercise.
• Remove waste products such as lactic acid.
• Reduce the risk of muscle soreness.
The cool down should consist of a gentle jog, decreasing in speed down to a walk followed by light static stretching. Remember to stretch all muscle groups used in the sport. Upper body muscles especially are often forgotten is sports such as football, soccer and rugby.

If you run into any injuries that are not getting better with the simple advice above, please pop in to see your Chartered Physiotherapist for a full assessment and treatment session. Chartered Physiotherapists are covered by all major insurance companies and no referral is needed from your Doctor.