How to Prevent Soccer Injuries

This is vital to having your body perform at its current fitness level.  If you are to require your body to run for 90 minutes or even 45 minutes, you must be able to have hydrated minimum 2 hours before playing with a minimum of 24 ounces of water (not sports drinks, sodas, sugar water, etc.).   Most elite athletes drink a gallon of water a day before a match to stay hydrated from all the perspiration they release.

Before you start to kick the ball around you must take a light jog for about 5-10 minutes. While you are jogging you must incorporate some high knees, heel kicks, or even some side to side shuffling loosening up the muscles.  Once you have done this for about 5-10 minutes, you should get a good stretch holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds.

(Cold muscles are more prone to injury)

You do not want to get injured because you “forgot” your shinguards or wore the wrong cleats do you?  Be sure to wear appropriate gear to any practice, match or location.  Fustal courts require you to wear flat shoes, very tough to avoid blisters on the court if you do not wear the correct shoes. If playing on grass, wear firm ground or soft ground cleats (if allowed) to make sure you have balance moving on the field.  DO NOT forget the shinguards whether you play on a Futsal court or on a grass field.  Your shins will thank you later and will avoid lots of pain days after.

If you have played for a few years or just learning to play, you will see some plays that you must avoid.  These are loose balls that you will not win and must choose your battles wisely to stay healthy.  50-50 tackles are fun and necessary to battle for the ball, but when you see a tackle that is 70-30 or even 80-20 you must know when to contain and look for help from your teammates.  Wise players last longer and enjoy the game more, not because they avoid all contact but because they are wise in picking their tackles.

Once you have completed your match or workout you must be sure to take a light jog to let your body cool down.  The light jog can be about 3-5 minutes then followed by another stretch relaxing the exercised muscles.  Be sure to hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds each again.

As athletes, in order to perform at your best level you must consistently train 3-5 days a week minimum to keep your body performing at its peak.  A soccer match counts for 1 of these days during the week, at times some of us even have multiple matches in one day (read your body).  If you are not up to match fitness, we do not recommend playing multiple matches in the same day since your body will shut down on you and may even tear a muscle or cramp from the exercise.  Daily exercise of 1-2 hours is recommended with enough water breaks to replenish your body and get ready to go again. You know your body more than anyone else and must know when to continue and when to stop.

Those of us that have been training for years and push ourselves to our limits know that our body can only do so much.  It is extremely important to take days off and alternate your workouts as well.  It is vital to maintain a happy and healthy body to perform at its best if you do take a day or 2 off if working consecutive days in the week.  Step #1, hydration plays a key factor on these days off recuperating.

Follow these steps here and you will have a great soccer career at any level.

Be sure to share with friends and comment to tell us what you do to avoid injuries!