Soccer’s worldwide acceptance and admiration is undeniable. International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) evaluated the number of adults and children who plays soccer around the globe to be almost a quarter of a billion. Sports reduce stress and boost self-esteem; thus, children should play even those suffering from any disease such as Attention Deficit Disorder as sport tend to provide a calming effect along with the ADD medicine given.
Although soccer is comparatively safer than any other sport, it’s a fast-paced game that usually results in injuries. Multiple types of damages caused by soccer include lower body strains and sprains, fractures, dislocations, bruises and cuts. Therefore, it is equally important to know how to prevent these wounds. Some of the tips mentioned below.
Start with a Good Warm-up
It’s never a good idea to rush on to the field and start playing. Several types of research proved that cold and tight muscles are usually more prone to injuries and poor muscle flexibility results in soreness. Thus, it’s necessary to start with an excellent warm-up, a slow jog, and a few stretches focusing on the hips and the lower body. A dynamic warm-up not only reduces the risk of fractures, sprain and strains but make your body ready for an aggressive play by increasing the blood flow to your muscles, reducing stress on your tendons and joints and loosening up your muscles.
Pre-season Conditioning
Children are more likely to be out of shape at the beginning of the season that results in injuries when they play without training. It is better to start with following the recommendations of your doctor and having a proper pre-season physical examination session. Injuries are preventable if children follow a conditioning program before the beginning of every season, which includes leg, endurance, and core lengthening exercises that prepare their bodies for specific muscle movements required for soccer. Also, a valid recovery period is as important to stay in the game. The recovery period includes a healthy sleeping schedule, soft tissue massages, stretching, proper nutrition, aerobic exercises, and relaxation techniques.
Put on Protective Gears
Protective gear is another name for the gadgets that you wear while playing any sport that helps you keeping safe and not getting hurt. The protective types of equipment required for soccer are cleats and shin guards. Cleats assist in protecting the foot, providing better traction on fields. Similarly, shin guards help in protecting the vulnerable tibia as according to recent studies, shins are the third most apparent area to be injured. Also, checking the cleats and shin guards is equally important if they fit you perfectly because poorly fitting protective gears causes shin bruising, blisters, bumps, bruises, and ankle sprains.
Knee Strength Training
Mostly injuries occurring in any sports involve the knee such as dislocation or instability of the kneecap pain under the patella (kneecap), and injuries of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). According to research, ACL ruptures are one of the most common soccer injuries and causes long-term consequences. There are specific exercises that claim to enhance the knee strength and increases the range of motion of the knee that helps in decreasing the occurrence of knee injuries in children and adults.
Set Limits to Eliminate Overuse Injuries
Strength deficits, reduced mobility of athletes, overtraining and playing at the same time on multiple teams results in overuse injuries. To reduce the risk of overuse injuries, you should set limits to the time given to any sport and limiting the teams you are playing in. Also, visit a physical therapist if you feel pain and follow the exercises to boost hip strength and increase ankle and hip mobility.