Don't get injured playing soccer- the sport you love.

A free article on Sports and Recreation

By: P.Costelo

Soccer, all contact sports, carries a risk of injury. These injuries can range from minor irritations that do not even require that the player leave the game, to serious injuries that can end a player's career. Most injuries that occur during the game of soccer fall into one of five main categories.

The first of the top five injuries that result from playing soccer is sprains. This type of injury is the most common soccer injury. Sprains of the ankle and the knee are especially common. This is because the soccer player, during the course of the game, must frequently stop suddenly or abruptly change direction. A proper warm-up session before the game is the best defense against this sort of injury. Stretching is a vital part of the pre-game warm-up session. Spend at least 10 minutes warming up, then another cooling down.

The second most common cause of soccer injuries is muscle strain. Muscle strain can occur when the player contracts his or her muscle too hard, or before the muscle is ready to contract. The quadriceps, groin, and hamstring muscles are the most likely to be strained by a soccer player during a game. Again, the frequent stops and direction changes that a soccer player must execute in the course of game play are a leading cause of such injuries. A proper warm-up session, including stretching exercises, can prevent muscle strain from occurring. The use of proper footwear is also a good way to guard against muscle strain.

The third most common type of injury resulting from soccer playing is bone fractures. The legs, ankles, and feet are especially susceptible to fractures during a soccer game. The rough physical nature of soccer results in players making hard body contact, which can result in bone fractures. A good way to prevent bone fractures is to wear protective gear. Shin guards are an example of such protective gear.

Knee injuries are the fourth most common type of soccer-related injuries. However, they are the most likely of all the soccer-related injuries to be serious in nature. Knee injuries are caused when the player is abruptly stopping or changing direction. This puts a great deal of stress on the knee, which is sometimes unable to handle such stress. Strength training of certain muscle groups in the lower body can prevent knee injury during a soccer game. A level playing field that is free of hole and the use of proper footwear can also help defend against knee injury. If you get hurt in this way get ready for a good,long rest with plenty of time to put your feet up.

Finally, rounding out the top five causes of soccer injuries is the head injury. Head injuries caused by soccer may include concussion, black eyes, or knocked-out teeth. The common practice in soccer of hitting the ball with one's head, called "heading", can lead to most of the soccer-related head injuries that are reported. Heading the ball properly and strength training targeting the neck muscles can help to prevent such head injuries. Eye and mouth injuries can be prevented through the use of protective mouth guards and eyewear.

While soccer injuries may be quite severe, and hard to recuperate from, the necessary steps to prevent such injuries from happening are easy to follow. Proper training and warm-up exercises, the use of protective gear, and proper maintenance of the soccer playing field, can eliminate virtually all soccer-related injuries. These three preventative measures can ensure the players on a soccer team remain injury-free and able to play to the best of their ability. This will increase the enjoyment of the game for all involved, from the players to your family to all spectators. Play soccer for a long time and prosper!