Soccer Injuries

Soccer is a game that requires cardiovascular endurance, speed, agility, balance, foot-eye coordination, and overall body strength.

Soccer is a game where the joints of the lower body are placed under a fair level of stress as the players are required to utilize short burst, lateral, and rapid acceleration/deceleration techniques to play the game effectively.

This, in turn, places a high level of stress on the soft tissue and the joints of the core area, knees, and ankles. Likewise, the repetitive impact of continually running places a stress on the entire body as well; especially the lower back.

In addition, the physical impact associated with playing soccer allows for several types of blunt force trauma injuries. These include injuries related to collisions with other players and/or the playing surface.

Below is a list of common injuries associated with playing the game of soccer.

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles Tendonitis typically occurs when a repetitive stress is placed on the tendon and gradually causes the tendon to become inflamed.

Ankle Sprains

Ankle Sprains occur through a twisting motion or a movement that causes the ankle to roll, causing minor tears in the ankle ligaments.

ACL/PCL Injuries

Anterior and Posterior Cruciate Ligaments cross each other in an X shape and provide stability to the knee when flexing and extending.

Arch Pain

Arch Pain is used to describe the symptoms associated with inflammation of the tissues under and within the middle of the foot.

Athlete's Foot

Athlete's Foot is a fungus growth that can occur on the feet and rapidly spread when the feet are exposed to a moist warm environment.

Backaches and Stress

Backaches may often occur from excess stress originating from the spine, muscles or nerves of the back region. Backaches due to stress may be a precursor to chronic lower back pain, and should therefore be taken seriously.

Back Sprains and Strains

Back Sprains and Strains are extremely common and can in range in severity from a dull pain to a highly acute sharp pain.

Blisters

Blisters are typically caused by friction between the skin and a surface and produces a fluid filled sacs on the surface of the skin.

Cartilage Injuries and Knee Disorders

Cartilage Injuries are related to damage and/or loss of cartilage that cause debilitating pain, stiffness and swelling of the knee area.

Chondromalacia

Chondromalacia is damage to the cartilage located under the kneecap and if left untreated can lead to severe degeneration.

Concussion

Concussions are due to head trauma in which the brain moves within the skull causing the brain cells all fire at once.

Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness

Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness is believed to be due to inflammation caused by muscle damage, however, it is not fully understood.

Groin (Adductor)

Groin (Adductor) injuries occur when any one of the 5 adductor muscles are torn or ruptured causing pain and tightness.

Hamstring, Pull, Tear or Strain

Hamstrings Pull or Tear injuries are related to continuous running where quick accelerations, decelerations and sudden turns are made.

Heading a Ball In Soccer

Heading a Ball in Soccer can result in acute injuries to the eye, mouth, and nose areas and cause a concussion as well.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Iliotibial Band Syndrome is related to the iliotibial band becoming irritated and inflamed and causing pain throughout the entire knee area.

Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain is quite common and can be reduced by maintaining a healthy weight and strong back, oblique, and abdominal muscles.

Medial & Lateral Collateral Ligament

Medial and Lateral Collateral Ligament tears can occur when the lower leg is forced sideways causing the ligament to buckle.

Meniscus Injuries of the Knee

Meniscus Injuries of the Knee are evident by inflammation and pain assocaited with the outside and/or inside of the knee area.

Muscle Cramps

Muscle Cramps typically occur within the muscles of the lower portion of the body and are involuntary muscle contractions and spasms.

Muscle Sprains and Strains

Muscle Sprains and Strains are injuries associated with the ligament that connects bone to bone (Sprain) or connects muscle to bone (Strain).

Muscle Strains of the Back

Muscle Strains of the Back occur when the muscle fibers of the back are overly stretched and/or torn causing acute pain and soreness.

Neck Strain

Neck Sprain injuries are related to overstretching or tearing the neck muscles or the ligaments that connect to the cervical vertebrae.

Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Osteoarthritis of the Knee is the degeneration of the cartilage within the knee joint that is located between the femur and tibia bones.

Overtraining Syndrome

Overtraining Syndrome occurs in individuals that do not allow their body the necessary time to recover from an aggressive exercise routine.

Patellar Tendonitis & Ruptured Tendons

Patellar Tendonitis and Ruptured Tendons (aka Jumper's Knee) involve the tendon that connects the patella to the tibia bone.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome is related to the way the patella tracks and moves along the groove of the femur bone.

Piriformis Syndrome

Piriformis Syndrome is defined as the piriformis muscle pressing on the sciatic nerve and is located inside the the pelvis.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick fibrous band of tissue located on the bottom surface of the foot.

Pulled or Strained Calf Muscle

Pulled or Strained Calf Muscle occurs when part of the soleus or gastrocnemius muscles of the lower leg are torn from the Achilles tendon.

Shin Splints

Shin Splints injuries are generally due to an accumulation of repetitive stress on the front of the lower leg where the shin bone is located.

Stress Fracture of the Foot

Stress Fractures can occur when an overload of stress is placed on the foot, resulting in small fractures of the toe or metatarsal bones.