Soccer is one of the most popular team sports in the world, but like any other sport it offers up the risk of an injury. Sports injuries in Brampton should never be a reason for keeping someone from playing the game, but knowing how to detect an injury, treat it and prevent it from happening again can result in a much happier and longer soccer career. Here are some of the more common sports injuries in Brampton and what you can do to prevent them.
Lower body injuries
Legs and feet are the two main body parts you use when playing soccer, therefore they’re the most common areas that are affected by injuries. Sprains and muscle strains are the most common of all the injuries. Soccer puts an enormous amount of strain on the legs and feet. Running at high speeds, quick agile movements and direct blows to the body all take a toll at one point or another. Some of the most common lower limb injuries include:
- ACL injury: An ACL or anterior cruciate ligament injury is one of the most common problems and typically one of the most debilitating because that ligament is one of the 4 major ligaments of the knee.
- High ankle sprain: A high ankle sprain is an injury that affects the higher ankle ligaments, located just above the ankle joint.
- Calf muscle tear: A calf muscle tear typically occurs during acceleration and is exactly what it sounds like; the calf muscle becomes pulled or torn.
Sprains and strains can vary in severity, ranging from a small muscle strain that simply calls for an ice pack, to tearing a ligament that can require major surgery. Other injuries can include bone fractures and contusions.
Upper body injuries
Although lower extremity injuries are more common, injuries can occur in the upper extremities due to falling or body-to-body contact. Some of the more common upper body injuries include:
- Wrist sprains: When your wrist is bent out of it’s normal range of motion, that mean be strains and tears to the ligament – this causes a sprained wrist.
- Dislocated shoulder: A dislocated shoulder happens when the ball of your upper arm bone that sits in the shoulder socket is forced completely out of its normal position.
- Whiplash: Whiplash occurs when there’s sudden acceleration or deceleration that puts extra pressure on the muscles, joints and ligaments in the neck.
When it comes down to playing a sport, there are different ways you can prepare your body and strengthen it so that injuries like the ones listed above can be avoided. As you practice these following techniques, your body builds a natural defense system that can help make your body more resistant to injury and keep you doing what you love longer:
- Stretching. Stretching is a great way to warm up your body and get it ready for a workout. Going from static movement to sudden high-intensity running and movement doesn’t allow your muscles to expand and warm up which can make them more prone to injury. Take some time prior to starting a practice or a game and warm up. Stretch your muscles out and get them ready to work.
- Conditioning. Conditioning your body is a great way to build some immunity and prevent yourself from becoming injured. Keeping your body healthy and prepared physically to endure a high-intensity game is one of the best ways to avoid injury.
- Study proper technique. Injuries can easily happen if you aren’t sure of what you’re doing. Work with your coaches and teammates in making sure that you know how to properly play the game so that injuries can be avoided.
While there are multitudes of different injuries that can happen at any point in an athletes career, it’s important that you not only try to prevent them, but know how to handle them should they happen. Make sure that if you endure an injury you seek professional help so that you are taking care of the injury properly. Injuries can only get worse if you don’t take care of them and that can shorten your soccer career drastically.