Common Soccer Injuries

Most Common Soccer Injuries

What are the most common soccer injuries, and how to recognize the severity of these soccer injuries.

Hopefully this will help with recognizing what is going on when soccer injury does happen to you or your players.

Most common injuries in soccer include ankle sprains, groin pulls and hamstring injuries.

All of the injuries in soccer can be defined as CUMULATIVE or ACUTE types of injuries.

Cumulative soccer injury happens when we overuse our muscles, soft tissue and joints without proper healing time.

Sometimes we can feel small ache or pain that we attempt to play through, however over time this small pain can grow into unbearable pain and in some cases injury that requires surgery to properly heal.

Acute or traumatic injuries in soccer occur due to sudden force or impact on our joints or muscle tissue, causing the injury in soccer players.

Studies have proven over and over again that proper rest and warm up before activities are crucial to avoiding serious soccer injuries.

Common Soccer Injuries

Common Soccer Foot Injuries - Ankle Sprain

One of the 5 most common soccer injuries is perhaps ankle injury. Ankle soccer injury happens when there is a stretching or tearing of ligaments surrounding the ankle joint.

Because of constant change of direction at different speed, soccer players are bound to plant their foot on the ground the wrong way causing ankle injury.

Common Soccer Foot Injuries - Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles Tendonitis occurs from overuse of the muscles in the back of the ankle. 

When Achilles Tendonitis injury occurs, there is a feeling of sharp pain at the back of the ankle.

Ignoring this soccer injury can lead to Achilles Tendon Rupture which comes with unbearable pain and a long sideline from the game in the excess of 6 months.

Common Soccer Head Injuries - Concussion

Concussion is one of the most common injuries in soccer and it occurs with a sudden impact or blow to the head.

In most cases, concussion will happen when two players go for an air ball and end up clashing heads, shaking the brain inside the skull.

Heading the soccer ball has not been proven to give players concussions.

Common Soccer Injuries - Groin Pull

Groin Pull happens when the muscles of the inner thigh stretch beyond their limits.

Because of the physicality of the game and the amount of running required in soccer, this injury can be listed into the 5 most common soccer injuries.

Common Soccer Injuries - Hamstring Strain or Tear

Another one of the 5 most common soccer injuries is the hamstring injury.

Hamstring injury is most common among runners and because soccer is a running sport hamstring injury is considered one the very common soccer injuries.

This injury can range from minor strains to total rapture of the muscle at the back of the thigh.

Most Common Soccer Injuries - Muscle Cramps and Blisters

Muscle Cramps are felt as a sudden, intense pain caused by involuntary and forcibly contracting muscle that does not relax.

Muscle cramps will usually occur when you are exposed to heavy physical activity that your body is not quite ready for.

Blisters are fluid filled bubble on the skin and are most common to occur on the bottom of soccer players feet.

This is one very common soccer injury and it occurs mainly due to wearing the wrong cleats that have not been broken in.

Common Injuries for Soccer Players - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS muscle pain, stiffness or soreness occurs 24-48 hours after intense exercise.

Players simply feel super sore, having difficulty to perform simple tasks like getting out of bed.

Common Injuries for Soccer Players - Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome refers to pain under and around the knee cap.

It is also called "Runner's Knee", and it happens to athletes playing any sport that requires lots of running, soccer included.

Common Injuries in Soccer Players - Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on the bottom of the heel.

This type of injury can be defined by pain during the first steps in the morning.

Most Common Injuries in Soccer Players - Pulled Calf Muscle & Shin Splints

Pulled or Strained Calf Muscle occurs when part of the muscles of the lower leg are pulled from the Achilles tendon. Pain can be moderate to excruciating depending on how bad the muscle is pulled.

Shin Splints occur when pain is felt along the front of the lower leg (between knee and ankle) along the tibia (shin bone).

It can be explained as pain and discomfort in the leg from repetitive running on hard surfaces, or from forcible and excessive use of the muscles that flex the ankle.

Common Injuries in Soccer Players - Sprains, Strains and Stress Fractures

Sprains and Strains occur by falling or sudden twisting of the ligaments that support the joint. 

The end product is pain, bruising, swelling and the inability to move or use that joint.

Stress fractures are the result of overuse or repeated impacts on the bones and muscle fibers.

Common Injury in Soccer - Tendinitis and Ruptured Tendon

Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon due to overuse or forceful contraction that causes micro tears in the muscle fibers.

These micro tears can lead to full tendon rupture which immobilizes the players part of body where it happens.

Tendinitis or Ruptured Tendon lead to weakness and inflammation.

For more information on soccer injuries visit Soccer Injuries and Prevention.

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