For most of the world, it’s known as football, but for Americans, it will always be known as soccer. This thrilling sport offers great fitness opportunities to its players. However, there’s also a chance that soccer players may injure themselves. 

The National Safety Council reports that there were over 81,000 soccer injuries reported in 2020. Like many sports, there was a much lower number of soccer injuries in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, injury statistics are likely to take a jump in 2021 as people return to playing. That’s one reason why physical therapists want people to be aware of some of the most common injuries among soccer players. 

Five of the most common soccer injuries

Playing soccer involves a lot of running and suddenly changing directions, which puts a lot of stress on the legs. There is also a potential risk of running into other players. These are just a few of the factors that can lead to some of the most common soccer injuries, such as: 

1. Medial cruciate ligament (MCL) injury — This ligament is located on the inner side of the knee, and it helps improve knee stability. The sudden stops and changes of direction that players make when playing soccer can overstretch or tear the MCL. One study of high school sports players found that 36.1% of knee injuries involve the MCL. 

2. Patellar tendon injury — Another knee structure that can be injured while playing soccer is the patellar tendon. This important tendon is attached to the bottom of the kneecap. It connects the kneecap to the top of the shinbone. A study on knee injuries in high school athletes reports that nearly 30% of knee injuries involved the patellar tendon.

3. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury — The ACL is a knee structure that’s commonly injured in athletes who run. This ligament is found in the back of the knee. Its job includes stabilizing the knee and helping keep the ends of the shinbone and thighbone in their proper positions. A high school athlete study reveals that the ACL is involved in over 25% of knee injuries. 

4. Ankle sprain — Soccer players put a lot of pressure on their ankle, too. As a result, it’s not surprising that they commonly develop ankle sprains and other ankle injuries. One medical study reports that about 8% of the ankle sprains that occurred while playing sports happened to soccer players. 

5. Hamstring injury — The three hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh are also often injured by soccer players. Hamstring injuries can range from a minor sprain to a complete tearing of the muscle. It’s reported by one medical study that 30% of the players surveyed had previously experienced a hamstring injury. 

Franklin Rehab can help you treat the most common soccer injuries

Have you recently developed one of the most common soccer injuries? You can turn to Franklin Rehabilitation’s physical therapists for help addressing your injury. Our clinicians can do a free screening on you to determine which injury you’ve developed. Additionally, our team includes specialists in treating sports injuries who can build you a recovery plan that’s personalized to your needs. 

Contact our team today for more information about our sports injury treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment to begin treating your injury.