Most Common Soccer Injuries

February 14, 2020February 14, 2020 Amelia Grant

Soccer is undoubtedly one of the most popular sport worldwide. According to FIFA (Federation of Association Football) claims that approximately a quarter of a billion kids and adults play this sport across the globe. Even though this sport is considered safe, it is still a contact sport, therefore, injuries are 100% guaranteed (especially in professional soccer). It includes a lot of falls and collisions, which could lead to mild or severe pain. Furthermore, soccer plays are subject to minor cuts and bumps. Apart from that, a soccer play might encounter a more serious injury that will require immediate medical care.

Sports injuries associated with soccer can be generally divided into two groups: acute and cumulative. Acute are the ones that happen because of a fall, blow or collision between players, while cumulative are the ones that occur because of repetitive pressure on a muscle or joint. We have created a list of the most common soccer injuries and they are listed below.

Knee injuries

This is probably the most common sports injury in soccer. It is explained by the fact this type of sport does not only involve kicking the ball but also a quick change of direction. As a result, players put excessive pressure on the knee as well as on ligaments that assist in supporting them. A sprain or tear normally occurs when the stress exceeds the limitations of a ligament.

Cruciate ligament injuries do not always cause knee pain but could lead to loud “pop” when they occur. It normally takes 24 hours for knee pain and swelling to develop, which is followed by tenderness and a loss of motion. A meniscus injury is another common problem for soccer players. It occurs when a C-shaped piece of cartilage cushions space between the femur and the shine bone. Meniscus injury could lead to severe knee pain and could be caused by twisting, decelerating or pivoting.

Other common injuries

The previous part of the article focused on the most common soccer injury. Although, there are other injuries that occur with a high frequency. Some of these injuries are listed below.

A groin pull: occurs when the muscles of the inner thigh are stretched beyond their limits.
Hamstring injuries: this type of injury involves the three back muscles of the inner thigh. They could range from a minor strain to a total rapture.
Ankle sprains: this injury occurs when there is a stretching and tearing of ligaments surrounding the ankle joint.
Stress fractures: this type of injury happens when there is overuse or repeated impact on a bone.
Pulled calf muscle: happens when one of the muscles of the lower leg is pulled from the Achilles tendon.

Preventing measures for sports injuries

As can be seen from all the aforestated, the majority of injuries appear as a result of overtraining, poor warming-up or overuse (except for the ones that happened because of a fall or collision). Therefore, in order to prevent these sports injuries, physical therapists advise making use of the following techniques:

A proper warm-up is essential for the preventative measures of these injuries. It is advised to warm-up for at least 30 minutes before going deep into the actual training process.
Protective gear including shin guards, mouth guards, knee and elbow pads can prevent a lot of injuries that result from a fall or collision.
Do not rush to get back soon to the field after an injury. You need to give time to heal after an injury. It is also not advised to make use of painkillers in order to get back to the training field faster. They will not speed up the recovery process but can also make the problem even worse.