How to Prevent and Manage Common Football Injuries

As we all know, football requires high energy and speed. Whether you play football yourself or your kid is crazy about it, knowing about football and the common injuries football players experience can help you prepare in advance to prevent and manage common football injuries. 
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In this blog, we will examine some of the most common football injuries and learn about effective strategies for preventing and managing them. Continue reading to learn more. 
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Common Football Injuries
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Here are the top 5 common football injuries football players suffer from:
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Sprained Ankle
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Football players often run on uneven surfaces and have to make sudden changes in direction as they play. This sometimes causes their ankle to roll inwards or outwards, stretching the ligaments too much and causing a sprain. An ankle sprain can be extremely painful, and proper measures must be taken to heal it. Here’s how you can manage an ankle sprain-
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Tips to Manage and Prevent an Ankle Sprain

• If you suffer from an ankle sprain, then following the POLICE procedure is a good strategy to heal. 
• POLICE stands for Pressure, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression and Elevation. 
• Certain things must be avoided when suffering from an ankle sprain. The HARM Strategy is the practice you must follow if you want to heal the ankle sprain. 
• To prevent ankle sprain from happening in the future, you must incorporate ankle strengthening exercises in your routine.  
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Also Read:  5 steps for faster ankle sprain recovery.

Also Read:  Importance of Core Strength for Ankle Stability. 
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Hamstring Strain
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Hamstring strain is also one of the most commonly seen injuries football players suffer from. Hamstrings are a group of three muscles present in the back of your thigh that provide support and produce a driving force while accelerating when you run. When players perform quick switches in the direction or stand still after speeding, if the hamstrings do not have enough strength, chances are that a hamstring strain may occur. This can severely affect the athletic performance of a player. Here’s how you can manage and prevent Hamstring strains. 
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Tips to Manage and Prevent Hamstring Strains

• If a player suffers from a hamstring strain, they can practice the POLICE procedure to ensure the injury heals. 
• HARM strategy must also be kept in mind as it tells you about things that you must avoid when dealing with this injury
• HARM stands for Heat, Alcohol, Running, Massage. 
• If you want to prevent hamstring injuries, then you must include hamstring strengthening exercises in your routine. 
• You can also use a foam roller to release the tension in your hamstrings. 
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Groin Strain 
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A groin strain may occur because football players practice movements like kicking, running, twisting, or jumping; this can injure the inner thigh muscles, leading to groin strains. A groin strain can be very painful and cause discomfort whenever a person tries to move or walk. The inner thigh muscles, also known as adductors, may get affected when the player performs movements like overstretching to kick the ball or sudden changes in direction. Here’s how you can manage and prevent groin strains. 
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Tips to Manage and Prevent Groin Strains
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• When a person suffers from a groin strain, they have to make sure they are resting enough. 
• Proper rehabilitation has to be done with a gradual return to sports; this is the way to go. 
• POLICE and HARM strategies can be incorporated for optimal recovery. 
• To prevent it from happening in the future, players must incorporate strengthening exercises like side lunges, adductor side bridges, etc., into their fitness routine. 
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Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury

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As we all know, ACL plays a crucial role in stabilising your knees. An ACL injury may occur when a player awkwardly lands on their feet when the lower leg stays planted, and the upper legs move or twist. An ACL injury can be in the form of ACL strain, ACL tear, etc. This kind of injury is harrowing, and you must have seen many famous football players succumb to it because of the nature of this game. Here’s how you can manage and prevent ACL injuries. 
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Tips to Manage and Prevent ACL Injury
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• POLICE and HARM strategy is a must when it comes to ACL injury. 
• Proper physiotherapy is required for an ACL to heal completely. 
• To prevent ACL injuries, you must work on knee strengthening exercises and must work on your knee mobility and flexibility.
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Also Read:  SMART Goals for ACL Injury Recovery.

Also Read:  Top 5 Exercises For Stronger Knees: Recommended By Granimals’ In-house Physiotherapists. 
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Achilles Tendon Injury
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An Achilles tendon injury is considered a serious deal for football players. This kind of injury generally occurs when a player performs explosive movements like jumping, sprinting, or suddenly changing direction. The calf muscles that bridge the heel bone are affected by this injury. Here’s how you can manage and prevent an Achilles Tendon Injury. 
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Tips to Manage and Prevent Achilles Tendon Injury
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• POLICE and HARM strategies must be practised. 
• Proper rehabilitation is required for the injury to heal. 
• When the injury happens, practising the RICE (Resting, Ice, Compression and Elevation) is the way to go. 
• Include calf stretching exercises into your routine to prevent this injury. You must also increase the intensity of the workout gradually. 
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Other Common Football Injuries
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• Meniscus Injuries
• PCL Injuries
• Quadriceps Strains
• Shin Splints
• Concussion
• Calf Strains

Additional Tips to Prevent Common Football Injuries

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Here are some of the important tips you must consider to avoid common football injuries:

• Strengthen Your Lower Body: You must incorporate exercises in your routine that strengthen and increase the stability of your lower body. Some of these exercises are- calf raises, Romanian deadlifts, squats, lunges, etc. 
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• Proper Warm-Up: Proper warm-up is key to avoiding sports-related injuries. You can incorporate dynamic warmups and static stretches into your routine.
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• Cool Down: You can spend 10 minutes to cool down correctly to avoid injuries in the future. Try incorporating mild cardiovascular exercises in your routine to cool down. 
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• Eat Healthy: Your diet has a direct connection to your body’s muscles. Try to consume a balanced diet that is rich in protein and fibre to attain optimal muscle health and avoid injuries in the future. Don’t forget to stay hydrated.
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• Proper Rest: Don’t over-push yourself. Make sure you rest enough between plays or when you are doing exercises to improve your performance. This can help you avoid injuries in future and ensure you are at your best in each game. 
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Key Takeaway
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When talking about preventing and managing common football injuries, it is important that you incorporate effective strategies to prevent these injuries. POLICE and HARM procedures are some of the steps you can take when you suffer from an injury. However, it is also essential to understand how to prevent and manage these injuries in the future, and you also have to be mindful of how to move your body and include appropriate strengthening exercises in your fitness routine. Granimals offers a comprehensive program for sports injury prevention and return to sports. Book your rehab consultations with us TODAY to learn more.  

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How common are serious injuries in football?

Answer: Serious injuries like ACL tear and MCL tear are quite common in football. However, catastrophic injuries like head injuries are very rare. 
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Q2. What is the most painful football injury?

Answer: An ACL tear is the most common and painful injury a football player can suffer from. This happens when the ligaments connecting the thigh bone to the shin bones are torn. A person experiences excruciating pain in their knees when such an injury occurs.