Football is a high-speed and high-energy activity hence players frequently suffer football injuries. Whether you play football yourself or have a youngster who is obsessed with the game, it is helpful to know what to do when certain things occur.
The good news is that it’s not hard to avoid getting hurt while playing football if you know the right tactics and have the right gear. In this blog, we’ll discuss some of the most typical football injuries and football injury treatment options.
1. Hamstring strain
The three large, powerful muscles at the rear of your thigh are your hamstrings. They generate a driving force when you run and accelerate. Football games frequently require sudden tempo changes, ranging from a stop to a fast pace in a matter of seconds. Your hamstrings are susceptible to overloading, which may result in a strain if they don’t have an adequate length (through stretching) or strength.
If you injure your hamstring, stretch frequently and use a foam roller to help avoid hamstring injuries. You can use a cylindrical tool called a foam roller to massage and loosen up tight and stiff muscles. Your hamstring muscles can be strengthened as a result. Perform speed drills tailored to your sport regularly and strength training exercises like deadlifts, leg curls, and hamstring bridges.
2. Groin strain
On the field, kicking, twisting, running, or jumping could harm the muscles inside your thighs. This type of strain is frequently referred to as a groin strain.
If you get a groin strain, make it a habit to stretch your inner thighs regularly to reduce the risk of experiencing a groin strain as a result of playing football. Add strengthening exercises like adductor side bridges and side lunges to your workout program. These will help you build muscle and improve your overall fitness.
3. Sprained ankle
When you play football, you will frequently be required to run on surfaces that are not level, and you will also need to make sudden direction changes. Your ankle could roll inwards or outwards because of this, and the ligaments that stabilize your ankle joint could become overstretched due to the stretching.
If you sprain your ankle, you should follow the procedure outlined in the POLICE procedure. You should protect, optimally load, ice, compress, and elevate.
To ensure that you do not aggravate your ankle in any way during the first three days following your accident, there are a few activities that you should steer clear of. You may easily remember this list by the acronym HARM, which stands for heat, alcohol, running, and massage.
4. Concussion
Brain injuries, known as concussions, happen when someone sustains a severe blow to the head. While not all concussions result in a loss of consciousness, they frequently cause symptoms such as headaches, nausea, trouble concentrating, balance problems, disorientation, forgetfulness, and dizziness. Most concussions occur among participants in contact sports like football, wrestling, boxing, hockey, and soccer. Wrestling and boxing both have comparable concussion injury rates. Gymnasts and skiers are also at risk.
Multiple concussions have the potential to harm the brain permanently. Second-impact syndrome, a lethal condition that develops after receiving another concussion before your initial concussion recovers, can also result from returning to any contact sports way too rapidly.
5. ACL Injuries
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a sprain or tear of this important knee ligament. Hearing or feeling a “snap” in your knee, swelling, pain while bearing weight, and unsteadiness, are the main signs of a torn ACL. The likelihood of this type of injury occurring increases with abrupt changes in direction or stops, which cause the foot to remain in one direction while your knee and body move in another. This frequently occurs in football, basketball, downhill skiing, and soccer.
Without surgery, your body relies on alternative cartilage for protection from ACL damage to maintain stability and rotation in the knee. This may also increase your risk of developing arthritis later on. The longer you wait to resume your sports activities after these injuries, the better because it will increase your strength and endurance and lower your re-injury.
6. Soft Tissue Injuries
Football in particular, but injuries to the soft tissues are among the most frequent ones in sports.
All of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments are likely to experience some level of stress because football demands the usage of your complete body. Players might occasionally over-exert or strain these soft tissues to the point of damage, such as a ruptured ligament or plantar fasciitis, resulting from that ongoing tension. A player may sustain an overuse ailment, such as tendinitis or a stress fracture, even from overusing a specific muscle or tendon.
Because of the structure of tendons and ligaments, soft tissue injuries are some of the most difficult to recover from. Physical therapy is frequently used as part of treatment to strengthen the weak tissue, which, depending on the extent of the injury and the kind of tissue being healed, can occasionally be rather painful. Therefore, if you suspect you might have a soft tissue injury, you must visit a doctor as soon as possible.
7. Football head injuries
The possibility of concussions among football players has recently received increasing attention due to studies. To assist limit football head injuries and recognize concussion symptoms, teams, coaches, athletic trainers, and players have embraced new training and playing rules and received information.
It is recommended that parents, athletes, and coaches seek out reliable resources for concussion information. Although concussions are serious injuries, they can be reduced with proper preparation and strategy. To guarantee you receive the most correct guidance, speak with a medical practitioner with experience diagnosing and treating concussions.
Get NetStep Custom Orthotics That Fit Your Shoes And Feet
These common football injuries can be career-ending. That’s why it’s important to protect yourself by wearing the right gear and using the proper technique. NetStep custom orthotics can help reduce your risk of injury by providing support and alignment for your feet and lower body. With a comfortable fit that conforms to your shoes, you can wear them during any activity, whether on the field or working out at the gym. Call us at (888) 718-3957 to learn more about how we can help keep you safe from common football injuries.