Soccer is a popular sport for children, families, and adults. Soccer injuries are common among athletes of all levels. The most prevalent soccer injury is the ankle sprain, followed by ACL tears. In this article, we will discuss how to avoid these two common soccer injuries and others that can happen while playing soccer.
What Causes Soccer Injuries?
Soccer injuries are usually caused by an athlete overusing certain muscles or not having the right equipment for their sport. Soccer players can suffer from ankle sprains when they wear cleats that do not fit properly, slippery grass, and stepping on an uneven part of the soccer field. Ankle braces should always be worn if the player is running or turning their ankles frequently. ACL tears can happen when a player lands from a jump incorrectly or slides into another player’s knee with the top of their foot.
How to Prevent a Soccer Injury
The most important way to avoid injuries is by warming up and cooling down before and after a game or practice. It is also crucial to use the proper equipment, such as cleats or soccer shoes that fit your activity level and weather conditions properly. Ankle braces should always be worn when playing if there’s any chance of twisting ankles frequently during play.
Common Soccer Injuries and Treatments
Ankle Sprain – An ankle sprain is caused by rolling, twisting, or hyperextending the ankle. Pain and swelling occur almost immediately, with difficulty moving the foot and pain when pressing on either side of the ankle bone. Treatment includes ice packs to reduce inflammation, keeping weight off it for at least 24 hours if possible, taping the ankle to immobilize it, and taking over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium.
ACL Tear – An ACL tear is a common injury in soccer players because they quickly change direction while running, turning their ankles frequently. Pain can be felt on either side of the knee or back of the knee and can vary in severity. Treatment for an ACL tear includes rest, ice packs to reduce swelling, hamstring exercises, and strengthening with physical therapy exercises.
MCL Tear – An MCL tear is a common injury among rugby players and soccer players because they both tend to tackle each other frequently or run into another player’s knee with their knee. This injury is caused by a direct blow to the outer side of the knee and can be felt as a pop or tear. Treatment includes rest, ice packs to reduce swelling, and pain medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium if needed.
Knee Meniscus Tear – Another common soccer injury because athletes often slide into another player’s knee with the top of their foot, causing a meniscus tear. This causes pain and swelling in the medial or lateral side of the knee. Treatment includes rest, ice packs to keep swelling down and prevent bleeding from occurring too quickly after injury, physical therapy exercises if surgery is not needed to repair it, and anti-inflammatory medications.
How to Find Treatment for Your Soccer Injury
Treating any kind of soccer injury can be overwhelming. If you’re looking to find specialized treatment, Miami Gardens accident injury clinic is a great resource that can help with diagnosis, provide prescriptions for pain medication or perform surgery, if needed.
Best Way to Recover From an Injury
What is the best way to recover? Prevent it in the first place. That’s why warming up and cooling down before and after a game or practice is crucial, along with using the proper equipment like cleats that fit properly for your activity level. Wearing ankle braces if there are any chances of twisting ankles frequently during play can also help avoid an ankle sprain. Making sure to avoid these activities and strengthening your legs will help prevent ACL tears as well.
If you have suffered an injury, do not move around too much to further injure yourself while trying to get treatment because the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to treat. Once your symptoms begin to show, like swelling or severe pain, it is time to get treatment right away before any further damage occurs for proper recovery and prevent long-term problems with mobility.
