With soccer season just around the corner, it's important to think about prevent injuries. This is more important than ever given that many players haven't been on a field or with their team due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So how can physiotherapy help soccer injuries?
The most common soccer injuries affect the feet, knees, legs, and head and we’ll take a look at some of them and the best way to treat them with physiotherapy.
What are some common Soccer Injuries?
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Knee Pain
- ACL Injury
- Knee Ligament Injuries
- Meniscus tears
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- Patella Tendonitis (Tendinopathy)
- Chondromalacia Patella
- IT Band Syndrome
- Knee Arthritis
- Plica Syndrome
- Osgood Schlatter's
- Sinding-Larsen-Johannsson Disease
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Ankle Injuries
- Sprained Ankle
- High Ankle Sprain
- Anterior Ankle Impingement
- Peroneal Tendonitis
- Retrocalcaneal Bursitis
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Thing and Hamstring Pain
- Thing Strain
- Hamstring strain
- Charlie Horse
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Groin Pain
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Hip Pain
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Back Pain
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Shoulder Pain
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Muscle Pain
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Neck Pain
Phew, that's a lot. Thankfully at Human Integrated Performance, we have professionals who can take care of these injuries and get you back on the field quickly. Let look at some of the most common injuries to soccer players that physiotherapy can help.
Torn Hamstrings
Symptoms of a hamstring strain typically include an immediate sharp pain in the back of your thigh. The area of the pain is generally quite specific.
Hamstring strains have a very high risk of re-injury, with research showing that up to one third of hamstring strain injuries will recur within the first 4 weeks of returning back to sport.
The hamstrings make up the bulk in back of the thigh. They are formed by three muscles and their tendons. The hamstrings connect to the ischial tuberosity, the small bony projection on the bottom of the pelvis, just below the buttocks. (There is one ischial tuberosity on the left and one on the right.) The hamstring muscles run down the back of the thigh. Their tendons cross the knee joint and connect on each side of the shinbone (tibia).
Head Injuries
Up to 22% of soccer injuries are concussions that can result from players using their heads to direct the ball during a game.
While concussions get most of the attention, there are 3 different types of soccer head injuries.
First, "superficial" injuries (like cuts and bruises) affect the surface of the head without affecting the brain.
Second, full-blown concussions (by far the scariest) are caused by intense impact that rattles the brain inside the skull, causing harm that can be long-lasting.
Thirdly, the less talked about sub-concussive hits: caused by lighter hits like heading the ball, rattling the brain with less force. These hits pose a threat to the way the brain functions over the following 1-2 days.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears
The nature of soccer encourages sharp twists and turns which can result in stretched or torn ligaments, the severity of which then dictates one’s required treatment. With a partial ACL tear, a knee brace may be the best form of relief, whereas a full tear may require surgery.
Injuries to the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), the main ligament in the knee, are common. This is especially true for female athletes. We see patients with acute ACL tears or after their ACL surgeries and have developed expertise in treating these injuries.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Human Integrated Performance Physical Therapists have helped may soccer players rehab injuries and return to sport stronger and faster than before. Your clinician will not only help you recover from your injury…they will work to identify the movement patterns that may have led to the damaged tissues in the first place.
No matter what type of soccer injury you may be dealing with, please feel free to contact the physiotherapy professionals at Human Integrated Performance for a complete diagnosis and treatment plan.
