Athletes often suffer injuries in soccer matches. Image by bong da truc tuyen
Before we start
In professional soccer, there are two common types of injury: acute and cumulative. An acute injury is instantly traumatic and is often caused by a strong collapse or an argument collision between players. In contrast, cumulative injury is caused by permanent stresses/ physical impairments on a muscle or the ache-worsening from the progressive trigger of connective tissues.Every year, nearly 250,000 athletes suffer soccer-related injuries from walks of life. In this article, we do our best to give you the most beneficial knowledge about the “3P”: preparation, prevention, and protection of the vast soccer injuries.
The most popular injury: Knee injuries
In general, soccer is a safe physical sport and obtains a globally low rate of experienced injuries each year. However, if there is an injury that any amateurs and professional players must suffer at least once, it must be a knee injury.That is because soccer is a sport that involves kicking and passing and requires players to run straight at maximum speed and shift their directions suddenly. According to the human body’s physical theory, this places ultimate rotational pressures on the knees and ligaments.
Muscle sprains, strains, and tears will appear when the stress exceeds the ligament and knee’s tolerance. Four cruciform ligaments maintain the knee joint’s stability which are: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the front of the knee, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) at the back of the knee, medial collateral ligament (MCL) on the inside of the knee, and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) on the outside of the knee.
ALC injury
Since the ligaments are less retractable than muscles or tendons, they are more vulnerable to being injured and damaged. Among the four, the ACL injury is the most common sprain and is graded on either three severity scales:
- Grade 1 Sprains: The ligament is slightly stretched and mildly injured, but it can keep the knee joint reliable.
- Grade 2 Sprains: In this stage, the ligament becomes loose by stretching for a longer period. This is referred to as a ligament’s partial tear. Partial tear of the ACL is rare; most ACL injuries are diagnosed as complete or semi-complete tears.
- Grade 3 Sprains: This is the emergency stage of a complete ligament tear. The ligament is split into two pieces, and the knee joint is unstable.
Knee cruciate ligament injuries do not always cause physical pain directly but cause a sudden symptom, e.g., a “popping” poise, tenderness along the knee joint line, or discomfort while walking at the beginning.
Then, pain and swelling will spread within 24 hours. If you ignore the pain and give your knee a break, the swelling and pain may resolve on their own. However, if you are still forced to run or play soccer, your knee will become unstable, and the cushioning cartilage (meniscus) will cause damage.
Other types of injury
Besides knee-joint and ligaments, other body parts can be injured if you use them in the soccer field. We have summarized and listed the popular injuries seen in numerous soccer athletes below:- Fractures: These harmful results appear when a player collides with another player. They consist of cuts and bruises on the skin surface and body.
- Head injuries: The head-on collisions can easily cause risky concussions. It seems to be rare, but roughly 200,000 athletes have suffered sport-related concussions year over year. A concussion is a mild form of brain trauma; its most apparent symptom is a headache, loss of consciousness, and dizziness. In the most terrible result, the concussion can cause memory loss.
- Tendinitis: The typical inflammatory responses to the tendon’s injuries. It is associated with the tendon’s overuse and creates micro-tears in the muscle fibers. The results of tendinitis can be listed as Achilles tendon rupture, Plantar Fasciitis (foot pain), Patellofemoral Syndrome (damaged kneecap cartilage), and Iliotibial Syndrome (overtraining injury of the tendon)
- Dermal injuries: These are mild skin-surface injuries, ranging from cuts and bruises to deep lacerations. They can result in skin stitches and damage.
- “3P” Treatment: Preparation, Prevention, and Protection
Preparation
Preparation is remarkably straightforward. Many soccer injuries can be avoided if the athletes properly maintain the manual warm-up before exercising/ playing sports, well stretches, and daily hydrates.Prevention
Most of the injuries on the soccer field are the consequences of overtraining, poor conditioning, and wrong techniques. To reduce the risk of injury, we should:Examine the soccer field to remove anything that could cause injuries, such as holes, puddles, broken glass, and debris.
Book monthly physical checkups at the local clinics to early find out any injuries.
Give your body system sufficient time to recover after an injury, even a minor one.
Treat your teammates and competitors with respect. It is better to sit outside any tackle an argument to avoid devastating injuries.
Protection
Consequently, it is the most common mistake in soccer playing, and the payoff is an array of detrimental injuries. Our advice is always to wear proper shoes with molded cleats and protective gear, including mouth/ shin guards and knee and elbow pads.
Always wear protective gear for playing sports.
