5 most common football injuries and how to prevent them

Injuries are a common part of football. Do you know that most injuries related to football tend to affect your lower body? Here are the most common injuries related to football and how to avoid them.

1.Knee injuries

There are many different types of knee injuries such as fractures, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), dislocation, meniscal tears, tendonitis, etc. One thing for sure, you should never ignore knee injuries as it can affect your long-term involvement in sports. Depending on the type of knee injury you’re suffering, resting and icing will help you to feel better. However, if the pain is chronic or lasts more than a week then you should definitely consult your doctor.

2.Ankle sprain

Running on an uneven surface or sudden change in movement will lead to an ankle sprain. You’ll see some swelling and bruising as a result of the sprain. To treat a mild sprain at home, you may elevate your foot with pillows, take pain medicines and try not to put any weight on your ankle. Acute ankle sprain takes a few weeks to recover while more severe cases may take months.

3.Hamstring strain

A Hamstring is a group of three muscles that run along the back of your thigh. The hamstring makes it possible for you to bend your leg at the knee. Some hamstring strain may not hurt too much but some can make it impossible to walk. Normally hamstring strain happens when you don’t properly warm up before exercising.

4. Sports hernia

The Medical community prefers the term ‘athletic pubalgia’ to refer to this type of injury. Sports hernia happens when a person makes intense twisting movements and sudden changes of direction leading to strain or tear of any soft tissue such as tendon, muscle or ligament in the lower abdomen area. To prevent a hernia, you can include core strength and core stability exercises to improve the function of muscles across the torso and pelvis.

5. Overuse injuries

Normally happens during football season or with constant training, overuse injuries can include low-back pain and knee pain. It is advisable to treat overuse injuries immediately before it leads to overtraining syndrome. Strength training can help the body to handle repeated stress, also make sure you train gradually and rest well.