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FOOTBALL is one of the most popular sports, with more than 260 million players around the world. It is also a sport exposed to a high risk of injuries, considering that the overall injury incidence is 6.6 injures per 1 000 players. Given that, being exposed to a high number of injuries reduces the chances to sporting success. Injury management is one of the most concerning issues in football clubs. Specifically, lower injury incidence rates have been correlated to superior performance. Ligament sprains and joint injuries to the knee and the ankle are more likely to impact negatively on team performance.
Primary prevention - This involves preventing injuries from occurring in those with no history of injury.
Secondary prevention - This involves the practice of trying to prevent re-injury. A good example here is the use of an eccentric strengthening programme to try to prevent hamstring muscle re-injury.
Teams that have fewer injuries perform better in both their domestic leagues and in the Champions League.
How can football injuries be prevented?
◗ Have a pre-season health and wellness evaluation.
◗ Perform proper warm-up and cool-down routines.
◗ Consistently incorporate strength training and stretching.
Hydrate adequately to maintain health and minimise cramps.
Stay active during summer breaks to prepare for return to sports in the fall.
Wear properly fitted protective equipment, such as a helmet, pads, and mouthguard.
Speak with a sports medicine professional or athletics trainer, if you have any concerns about injuries or prevention strategies.
There is an increasing body of evidence that shows that it is possible to reduce the risk of sustaining a hamstring muscle injury. Strategies which have been proposed include different kinds of stretching activities; eccentric strength training; core stability; and combinations of these.
Below are some strategies which are widely used to try to limit the risk of injury:
Stretching - Increases visco-elastic properties of a muscle and decreases the strain in a muscle. Several stretch episodes decrease muscle stiffness.
Eccentric strength - The greater mechanical tension and strain exerted upon the muscle fibers yielding increases in muscle fascicle length that consequently increases muscle shortening velocity and forces production at longer muscle lengths.
Core stability- Comprises the lumbopelvic-hip complex and is the capacity to maintain equilibrium of the vertebral column within its physiologic limits by reducing displacement from perturbations and maintaining structural integrity.
Balance - Exercises are part of comprehensive neuromuscular warm-up programmes, like the FIFA 11+, which has clearly been shown to be effective in reducing injuries.
Strapping and bracing - In players with a history of ankle instability. In these players, taping or bracing the ankle to limit inversion can reduce the risk of subsequent ankle sprains by about 50 per cent.
Loading - The influence of loading and training volume has been identified as a risk factor for injury. This is especially true in adolescent and youth players. Too much loading and sudden changes in loading have been associated with an increased risk of injury. Times when loads typically increase include during the pre-season when returning from injury or when players enter an elite training environment. It is especially important to have a carefully designed training programme during these times.
Fitness and conditioning - Muscle injuries occur most frequently towards the end of each half. Given the demanding nature of football, it has been suggested that this is due to fatigue. As a result, a low level of fitness may be an injury risk factor for players. Improving fitness may, therefore, reduce the risk of injury. It is, however, possible that increasing fitness may be a risk factor for injury. Players with greater physical fitness typically work harder and, as a result, may be more likely to become injured.
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