Soccer is a famous game across the globe and one of the most loved sports. Many youngsters and kids play this sport every year. Any sports carry the risk of injuries. If you play football, basketball, hockey or soccer, there is always a chance of getting injured. Injuries in sports can be a real pain and cause many problems for the player. For any player not getting injured is a real challenge. You should have strategies to make sure that you avoid injuries at all cost.

Sports injury

If you are new to the game then you can always take some advice from your coach or senior player on how you can avoid injuries on a soccer field. Since there is an increase in the number of people playing soccer, the number of cases of injury has also gone up. Medical institutions have reported almost 200000 cases of soccer injury in a single year. After an analysis, it was found that some of the injuries were inevitable, however, most of these injuries could have been prevented. There are a lot of things that you can do to prevent the injuries. There is certain equipment which is available such as shoulder brace for football to help prevent shoulder injuries.

Let us look at few ways by which we can avoid getting injured while on the soccer field.

  1. Preseason warm-up

It has been observed that most injuries happen at the beginning of the season. It is mostly because the kids are not ready and are out of shape. If you push your body without warm up the chances of getting injured increases manifold. Before you start playing you need to go through a quick program of core, leg and endurance strengthening exercises. These will help the players to prepare their body for the muscle movements required during the play. The main aim is to increase strength and agility which is required for the jumping, running, swerving and high kicking. This is beneficial for both season practices and games.

  1. Stretch, Warm-up and cool down

Although most players ignore this, however, it is very important to stretch and warm up before any practice session or games. If you have tight muscles the chances of getting injured is very high. Work on your quads, hips, ankles, and hamstrings before any game or practice. A slow jogging is the best exercise before you start playing the game. It is also good to stretch after the match or take a walk or slow jog to help cool down and also help the body to go back to the normal state.

  1. Wearing protective gear

There are many protective gears available in the market. You can get a shin guard, best knee braces for football and other similar gears to help prevent injuries. Similarly, cleats will protect the foot and provide necessary traction on wet fields. The important thing is that the gear should fit you otherwise it can cause incorrect form and injuries.

  1. Injury prevention program

Some of the injuries like a knee injury and ACL rupture can cause long-term consequences in players. There are certain exercises which can help increase knee strength and the motion of the range. This will help reduce the knee injuries and other types of injuries.

  1. Field Maintenance

Most players get hurt due to the poor field conditions. It is important to check the field before a game for any holes, rocks, debris, and puddles or soft ground. The goalpost should also be secured so that no one gets injured from falling off the goalpost.

  1. Healing of previous injuries

If you are already injured, make sure that you let it heal properly before you start practicing and playing again. Most cases of injuries happen when players start playing without healing the previous injuries. If you get a second concussion before the first is fully healed it can lead to brain swelling as well. Make sure that the players rest and heal the injury before they start playing again

  1. Fair play

Playing a rough and aggressive game can often lead to injuries. You should always adhere to the rules and regulations enforced by the referees. Since soccer is a contact sport the chances of injuries are higher and these rules will help keep you safe.

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Conclusion

It is good to play sports especially soccer, however, one should be cautious and should not get injured while playing the game. It helps to enhance the skills and build confidence in a person. Keep in mind that injuries can happen and it can interrupt your game. Take care while on the field and enjoy an injury-free play.