Apr 24, 2023

Common Soccer Injuries Including Ankle Sprain or Torn ACL

Common Soccer Injuries Players Sustain

While all sports come with injury risks, different injuries are common in different sports. Soccer injuries can involve soft tissue, bones or the head. Here are some of the more common soccer injuries that players of all levels can sustain.

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Lateral Ankle Sprain

Controlling the soccer ball comes with inherent risk of ankle injury, and the risk is only compounded when playing on an uneven grass field. When players stumble over a tuft of grass, misstep on the ball, or have their foot stepped on by an opponent, they could sprain an ankle.

Ankle sprains occur when the foot rolls in an unnatural direction, thus stretching ligaments within the ankle beyond their normal range. In bad sprains, the ankle ligaments can be torn.

Treatment: Most ankle sprains resolve themselves with rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) might be taken early on to minimize pain and swelling. Severe ones can require an orthopedic surgeon’s attention.

Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the thigh to the shin, running directly through the knee. The ligament functions fine when the knee bends forward and backward. If lateral force causes the knee to bend sideways, however, the ACL can stretch or tear.

A sudden change of direction or a direct force can cause the knee to buckle sideways, and thus the ACL to tear. A high slide tackle can cause enough force to tear the ligament, as can one player rolling on top of another.

ACL tears take months to recover from, and they require surgery to repair. Most players who suffer a torn ACL miss the remainder of the current soccer season, and possibly some of the following one.

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Head Concussion

Concussions are head injuries that must be taken seriously. They can cause short-term dizziness, headache, nausea, drowsiness and blurry vision, and repeated concussions can lead to memory issues later in life.

The most obvious potential cause of concussion is heading the soccer ball, and a forceful header could indeed be strong enough to concuss. Most short-range headers won’t cause concussions, however. Corner kicks, crosses, long passes and shots have more force behind them.

Head-on collisions with other players, with goalposts and even possibly with the ground (uncommon) can also cause concussions.

Any potential head injury should be evaluated by a qualified medical provider to determine whether there indeed is a concussion. Players generally shouldn’t return to practice/play if they have a concussion, although the medical provider can give more specific guidance as to treatment.

There are other injuries that are often experienced by soccer players. Whether they are professional players, amateur, adult, kids or those who love kicking the ball around with friends on a Sunday afternoon in the park.

These injuries include:

Knee Sprain
Damaged or Torn Meniscus (in the Knee)
Bursitis in the knee
Calf Strain
Heel Pain
Clavicle Fracture
Broken Foot or Fracture
Clavicle (collar bone) Fracture
Broken Wrist or Fracture

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A couple of points to clarify. When referring to bones being broken or fractured, the terms are interchangeable and basically mean the same thing (the shattering, splitting or chipping of a bone). Doctors are more likely to use ‘Fracture’ when describing this condition but may also use ‘Broken’ as it clearly defines what has occurred.

Whether you have broken your clavicle, foot, wrist or ankle, you will need to seek medical attention immediately. This may mean that you need an ambulance to get you to a hospital or Doctor’s office depending on the severity of the break. Whatever injury you may have sustained, it is key to access medical attention quickly, to ensure a diagnosis (by X RAY or CT scan) and then work on a treatment plan with your medical care provider.

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The difference between a Sprain and a Strain is something many people find confusing.

What's a Strain?

Lifting something too heavy, hitting the soccer field before you've warmed up, or the first day back on the pitch after the off-season are common precursors to a strain. A strain is often the twisting, pulling, or tearing of a muscle or tendon, which are the fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones and help them move. Acute strains are sudden injuries, such as jumping and landing improperly, whereas chronic strains are prolonged, repetitive overuse that causes damage to muscle fibers.

Strain Symptoms:

Pain and limited mobility of the muscle
Muscle spasms or cramping
Tenderness and swelling
Bruising or redness

What's a Sprain?

That "pop" that you heard in your joint may be a sprain. When a joint is overextended or severely stressed, it can overstretch or tear a ligament, which are the fibrous tissues that keep bones connected together and stable. Twisting or rolling an ankle, pivoting with your knee, landing on the wrist when falling, and other unnatural movements can cause mild to severe sprains.

Sprain Symptoms:

pain
bruising
swelling and stiffness
instability and limited range of motion
weakness and tenderness

lower-leg-pain

Heel Pain

Heel pain is another condition that may plague your soccer game. Increased age is certainly a factor, however some individuals are at increased risk for heel pain with factors including:

obesity
wide feet, flat feet, or high arches
neuropathic or inflammatory medical conditions such as arthritis.
occupations that require excessive or long periods of standing or walking
muscle weakness
imbalance or circulatory issues that lead to more falls and stumbles

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Common Causes of Heel Pain

Wearing improper and ill-fitting footwear - This highlights the importance of using appropriate, quality footwear
Overuse, overexercising, or exercising with improper equipment - This is crucial during your soccer training. Always be mindful whether you are overtraining or not warming up adequately
Irregular walking style - This can affect your game and it’s worth talking to a professional about helpful footwear that can support your gait while you play.
Running, jumping, falling, or landing poorly on a hard surface - Soccer is a very active sport and involves jumps, twists, collisions, impacts and increases in speed at very high intensity. This can increase the risk of injury.
Trauma, sprains, or strains to the foot - Injuries like these are common in Soccer. It is important to not let them progress and lead conditions such as chronic Heel Pain

Many forms of heel pain arise from prolonged daily misuse and overstimulation that may recover over time with rest. Some heel pain may be a symptom of something more serious and you will need to get seek medical attention in order to get a deeper understanding about what is occurring.

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Reduce the Risk of Soccer Injuries

Playing soccer will always come with some risk of injury, but that risk can be reduced through proper precautionary measures. Players who remain in good physician condition, use proper slide tackling and heading techniques, and wear appropriate safety gear (e.g. shin guards) are less likely to sustain soccer injuries. With these precautions, players can responsibly enjoy playing.

There are some great tips that will help reduce your chances of injury on the soccer pitch!

Rest and Recuperate! This is so important. Recognize when your body needs a break. If your ankles are consistently sore after a game ( obviously check in with your doctor or physical therapist) but maybe, what you need most, is to relax and rest the muscles and joints. If you love staying active, maybe switch to a low impact exercise like swimming or using an exercise bike to stay active during this period. These activities have less impact on the joints.
Take breaks throughout practice. Remember to take breaks to allow your muscles to recover in between training sessions. Soccer is an intense activity and you want to ensure you don’t develop an overuse injury during practice.
Wear proper clothing and shoes! Another important factor to consider if you love your sport and want to continue injury free. From using proper fitting shoes that are appropriate for the soccer field (cleats or soccer shoes from a sports retail store), to well fitted clothing that has sun protection, you need to consider what you wear. Whether you live in a warmer or colder climate, you need to consider that you may be outside for many hours/ minutes during training. Think about sun exposure and either wearing clothing that covers your skin that is lightweight) or apply adequate sun protection/ sunscreen. If you live in a more temperate environment, you may want clothing that is breathable but still keeps you warm and protects your delicate skin from the elements. Shoes are very important. Ensure that the shoes are properly fitted, giving ample protection and cushioning. Some specialty stores may even offer shoe-sizing clinics or are able to offer you advice on the best shoes to wear depending on your chosen activity.

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Another thing to consider would be mouth guards, eye protection, hats, protective cups, protective equipment or various parts of the body including shins, knees, ankles, chest, neck, arms and face)

Strengthen and Increase Flexibility in your muscles.

What is the difference between strength training and increasing flexibility of the muscles?
Strength training can also be called Resistance Training.
This is something that you might associate with going to the gym and using weights or maybe doing a push up during an aerobics class or circuit training.

There are so many tools now available to help with strength or resistance training. In fact, MendMeShop has our very own high quality, Exercise Resistance bands, which can help intensify your workout routine in an easy and safe way.

Strength Training is basically building up/ conditioning your muscles so they are able to exert more force.
Weight Machines, free weights or even using a can of beans can be ways that you can start to do strength training.
This can be helpful to help build endurance but also reduce your risk of injury (if done correctly).
If your muscles are stronger, they are able to withstand more force on the soccer pitch!
It is important to follow an exercise guide or advice from a certified or coach or personal trainer as you want to avoid an overuse injury during weight training, as well as avoiding conditions such as tendinitis or stress fractures which can occur if you start overdoing it at the gym.

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Here's a link to the MendMeShop Exercise instruction sheet for some inspiration for your workout!

Don't forget to always check with your doctor or physical therapist before you start a new exercise program.

Flexibility and stretching really should be incorporated into the daily routine of everyone! Flexible, supple muscles are more likely to stay healthy and work well.

Whether you follow a basic yoga routine, or have a couple of calf stretches or sideways lunges that you do in the morning, your muscles will thank you for it.
Before vigorous exercise, it is crucial to warm up your muscles.
This will certainly help avoid injury once you start the more intense training or work.
Maybe start with a light run, then figure out ( ideally with your coach or trainer),a good stretching routine before you start to play.
This may involve calf stretches, hamstring stretches, shoulder stretches and glute stretches.

✔️If you are in pain, stop! This seems like simple advice, but many people feel it’s appropriate to ‘run through’ injury. Rarely is this the case. If you are in pain, stop and seek medical attention.

✔️Use the correct techniques taught by a verified coach or instructor. With soccer, this is crucial.

Ensure you trust your coach and that you listen and learn from their instruction.
They have experience and can guide you in improving your game safely and (hopefully) injury free.
Soccer has clear rules and guidelines which is important to follow, for the benefit of yourself and the team.

Check out MendMeShop's Copper infused Achilles Compression Wrap as a great option to support your ankle during or after your sports training.

The Achilles TSHELLZ Wrap can help support an injury such as Bursitis in your ankle, Achilles Tendon Tear, Heel Pain or even sore muscles, inflammation or pain experienced after a game. The Blood Circulation Boost Wrap targets the injury site, to ensure increased blood flow to the area. This nutrient rich blood flow can help speed up recovery. The increased blood flow can also help remove waste products from the injury location. All in all, the Tshellz Wrap is potentially a great tool to help you get back on to the soccer field faster and hopefully with a lesser chance of re-injury (if you continue to look after yourself!)

MendMeShop's Arnica Infusion is a great potential tool to add to your Soccer Injury Prevention Tool Kit!

What is Arnica Infusion?

Arnica Infusion is a topical pain relief cream that can help with a variety of symptoms and conditions. The fast-acting and effective all-natural formula can help treat sore muscles and joints, arthritis, backaches, sprains, strains, bruises, and much more. Made in the USA, the Arnica Infusion cream is truly a soothing, and comforting cream which covers a variety of your pain relief and inflammation needs.

How Best to Use MendMeShop's Arnica Infusion

Help treat those sore spots, aches, and pains in a jiffy! If you suffer from foot, knee, hip, back, shoulder, hand pain, or beyond, Arnica Infusion might be just the trick to finding relief and comfort quickly. Simply apply the cream directly to the affected areas that are giving you trouble to begin experiencing the fast-acting effects.

Contact MendMeShop any time for more info!!

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⚠️This information should not be used in place of a visit, call, or consultation with or the advice of your physician or other qualified medical professional

References

We pride ourselves on being thoroughly researched before we post blog posts, articles or webpages. Here is a list of references used to create this content:

👉Ref 1: Common Soccer Injuries UPMC Life Changing Medicine

👉Ref 2: Sports Medicine UR Medicine

👉Ref 3:9 Common Soccer Injuries and Injury Prevention Tips SSEP

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