Health – Avoid Injury

Exposure to potential injury is part and parcel of any strenuous physical activity and football is no different. All physical activities stress the body’s structure and tissues.

Although football is not primarily a contact sport, collisions do happen as players compete for control of the ball – collisions which can result in serious injury. Besides collisions, players are also susceptible to muscle strains and limb injuries as their body must sustain a lot of physical activity during matches and training.

According to stats collected by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), more than 500,000 soccer-related injuries are treated by health care professionals each year. Injuries are most common in the 7 to 14 year-old age group as players are more susceptible to injury while they are still growing.

Kids under the age of 10 tend to get more of the bumps and bruises from falls and collisions as they learn to play the game, become accustomed to running with and without the ball and have contact and collisions with other players as they fight for the ball.

Kids in the 10 to 14 year old age group tend to have more serious injuries as their body changes and becomes less flexible. As kids move through the age groups, match intensity and physical commitment in games increases – which in turn comes in parallel with an increase in injury susceptibility.

Many of these injuries are avoidable if the common causes are understood and proper training, coaching and preparation are in place. Training at this age must focus on skill and technique development as skill development promotes good motor skills (brain to muscle communication) which in turn aids injury avoidance. A player with properly developed motor skills decreases his susceptibility to injury.

There are strategies that can be followed to avoid football related injuries in training and matches.

1. Players should learn at a young age to use proper equipment during training and matches. Shirt, shorts, shin guards, socks, proper and well fitted footwear and mouth guards should
be worn in training and matches at all times.

2. Equipment should be kept clean and sanitary between matches and training sessions to avoid infection, rashes and other skin conditions.

3. Players should take time to warm up and stretch before training or matches. Special attention must be paid to the hips, knees, thighs, ankles and calves as cold limbs are more prone to injury.

4. Players should warm down properly after matches to clear lactic acid built up in muscles, increase flexibility of limbs and allow blood flow to slowly come down to a normal level.

5. Football pitches should be kept in good condition clear of debris and other materials that can injure a falling player.

6. Goal posts should be well secured and padded to avoid injuries when players collide with the posts.

Players should be taught from a young age to take care of their bodies and avoid injury. Players should be aware that skill alone will not make them a professional football player. Fitness and health are key to a successful football career.