What are the Most Common Injuries in Soccer?
Soccer is one of the largest participating sports in the world and involves many forms of movement patterns and skills, it’s a multi-faceted sport requiring skills beyond running and kicking a ball at your feet. You must be able to accelerate, decelerate, pivot, turn and cut while controlling a ball at your feet or head, which ultimately requires both technical and physical skills in order to meet its demands.
These demands inevitably lead to a wide range of injuries, most commonly fractures and soft-tissue injuries, particularly in the lower limb.
In 2020-2021, around 1.2 million Australians aged 15 and above engaged in soccer, resulting in 5,100 injury-related hospital admissions, with 4,200 males and 880 females affected. During this timeframe, teens aged 15-19 experienced the most hospitalisations.
TOP 3 MOST COMMON INJURIES IN SOCCER
Between 2020-2021 over 50% of injuries sustained during soccer were fractures, around 25-30% were hospitalised for a soft-tissue injury (e.g. sprain, strain, tears), and under 10% were affected by trauma to the head.
Regions most at risk of injury predominantly involved the lower limbs (43%), followed by arm and shoulder injuries (24%), and head and neck (14%).
TOP 3 CAUSES OF INJURY IN SOCCER
Injuries involving contact with another player were revealed to be the likeliest cause (~25%), while falls from or involving an object (~20%), and falls involving another person (15%) were also seen.
TOP 3 TIPS TO PREVENT INJURIES IN SOCCER
1. Appropriate warm-up before & cool-down after training.
2. Incorporate strength & mobility training into your regular routine.
3. Use strategies such as taping, straps, footwear, headwear to provide support in vulnerable areas if required.
WHO TO SEE AFTER A SOCCER INJURY?
After sustaining an injury, it’s crucial to seek the expert opinions of healthcare professionals. A comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation program are vital to ensure athletes of all ages come back better and stronger.
At Fortitude Chiropractic, our expert team can help build you back to your best, and offer you a targeted plan to best prepare you for getting back on the pitch.
Click here to book online or give us a call on (08) 6184 8835 and start your journey back to the world’s game.
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