Football (US: Soccer)

The legs are the most susceptible to injury during football. The possible injuries range from a kick to the shins, an acute injury to the ankle or knee joint and muscle injuries affecting the hamstrings, the calf muscles and the attachments of the muscles in the groin area.

Ankle
The most commonly occurring injury in football is a sprained or twisted ankle. In most cases, the injury occurs following a landing on the outside of the foot, whereby the sole of the foot twists too far inwards. On the outside of the foot, capsula, ligaments and nerve fibre can be damaged due to overstretching. On the inside, cartilage can be damaged by excessive compression. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, the tissue on the outside is either stretched or torn. This damage causes bleeding in the ankle. As a result, the ankle swells, (after a short time) bruises and becomes painful.
The damaged tissue heals naturally just like a wound on the skin. However, muscle and nerve fibre does not automatically regain its original function. Muscle and nerve fibre must be trained. This is possible with simple balance exercises. In addition, the ankle must be protected to prevent the risk of recurrence. A Push Sports Ankle Brace Kicx is an excellent solution.

Knee
The knee is a joint susceptible to injury. The knee joint can be damaged through twisting. In such a twisting incident (cruciate) ligaments and meniscus tissue can be damaged. Injury to the meniscus can cause swelling and it may no longer be possible to correctly bend and extend the knee. Serious injury to the cruciate ligaments often causes internal bleeding or accumulation of fluid. The knee then feels swollen and warm, is painful and no longer moves well. In the event of a serious twisted knee, knee cruciate ligaments and the inner meniscus are often both damaged. If injury to the cruciate ligaments is suspected, it is important that the correct diagnosis be made by a sport physician and/or sport physiotherapist.
During and following recovery from a knee injury, it may be worthwhile to protect the knee (during sport) with a Push Sports Knee Brace.

Hamstring
Hamstring injuries are generally acute injuries. Both a small and large muscle tear need time to heal. It often takes six weeks before a tear has healed. The difficulty with a tear in the hamstring is that its presence is no longer felt after a much shorter time. However, as soon as the sportsman once again sprints at maximum effort, it becomes clear that the injury has not fully healed. The muscle tissue must then once again handle too much power. The healing of the hamstring really requires six weeks. Good supervision by an expert sport physiotherapist and/or sport masseur can prevent this problem.

Groin
A groin injury in football can be either acute or an overuse injury. With a groin injury, it is generally the tendon that is damaged. The tendon is the transition between muscle and bone. The tendon must withstand the same forces as a muscle, but is far thinner. Due to the specific football movements, severe demands are placed on the tendons in the groin. You experience a feeling of deep pain in the groin. By means of stability exercises (core stability), you can reduce the risk of (recurrence of) a groin injury.

Quadriceps
The attachment of this muscle below the knee can cause pain problems due to overburdening. This is a common occurrence amongst young sportsmen and women who have undergone a growth spurt. The bones first increase in length, followed only then by the muscles and tendons. Many young sportsmen and women start to participate more frequently in sport, specifically in the period when they experience growth spurts. As a result, particularly this muscle attachment can become strained. The pain is generally below the kneecap (=patella). A Push Sports Patella Brace can reduce the main problem in many cases.