Football & Injuries: Therapeutic Aspect

Nowadays football has gained an immense popularity all over the world .In this sphere football seems to totally dominate the sports arena. No doubt, these are the assets and the player who are playing the game of football in the true spirit of "Fair Play ". As football is a body contact game, footballers are very prone to skills and make the spectator entertained rather than the non-competitive classical matches. Thus, injuries become a crucial part of football.
Injuries occurring in a footballer's career are not the matter of fate. These injuries can be avoided by some simple methods. The injuries develop due to the mistake of sports person and tough competitiveness of the tournament only. More a person participates in a tournament or championship; the greater are the chances that he will be injured. Injuries in football mainly occur due to improper training session with abnormal exercises or execution of movement under inexperienced coaches or partners. A stretching exercise done in a wrong manner before a particular match will cause more harm than that of benefit.
Improper warming up before any match by a player is another important reason of injuries. A player who is injured should always report immediately to the doctor or physiotherapist to know the cause of injuries and to treat it.

Reason for injuries:
• Improper warm up and training methods.
• Wrong stretches.
• Inadequate relaxation.
• Right stretches performed in a wrong manner.
• Lack of fitness and endurance.
• Wear and tear of equipment.

Types of injuries:
Injuries can be divided mainly into tow groups.
1. Traumatic injuries.
2. Overuse injuries

1. Traumatic injuries:
These types of injuries occur suddenly and are noticed immediately. Traumatic injuries are generally treated by doctors and then a complete rehabilitation of the athlete to come back in their sports. Rehabilitation following repairs of traumatic injury is carried out by a physiotherapist or by a sports specialist.
E.g. ACL tear in a footballer requires a complete rehabilitation programme after reconstructed surgery.

2. Overuse injuries:
These injuries results due to repetitive movements over a period of time. Overuse injuries are normally caused by improper training methods and training environment. These types of injuries start as a minor discomfort and then deteriorate into pain of untreated. These injuries are caused by combination of factor and so their cause is to be known.

Factors influencing injuries:
1. Training method:
Improper training methods are a major cause of injury in football. Most of the player spends their time to practice their sporting skill and neglect the fitness programme. Lack of endurance also causes injuries when a tired player attempts to move beyond their physical capacity they damage their muscle. Fatigue also leads to lack of co-ordination.
2. Training environment:
An unsafe environment creates many problems which are responsible for traumatic injuries. Unsafe and old equipments used in training session causes injuries to a great extent. Safety equipments like shin guard, skin pads, socks, standard boots and sports wear etc. prevent injuries most of the time.

Avoiding injuries:
Injuries can be avoided best by good and proper flexibility training. Flexibility training includes proper stretching exercises to increase the ROM of joints. This training enable to achieve balance in muscles (balanced muscular development).
Balanced muscular development includes strength training and stretching in the training session to encounter act one sided development of muscle. Thus they prevent chances that no group of muscle becomes abnormally tight and prone to injuries.
Injuries are also avoided by giving time to the body to adapt to the particular sports and the training session by easy jogging and stretching. Frequent changes in the duration and frequency of training also causes injury and this should be avoided.
Warm up before each session of exercise also prevents injuries. Warm up prepares the players mentally and physically to cope with the challenges of exercise programme. Warm up prevents injury by raising the temperature of muscle tissue. Thus a flexible muscle will stretch to a greater extent and increase the suppleness of the joint.
Cool down after a match also plays an important role because it prevents stiffness and reduces muscular tension and muscular soreness. The exercise should be stopped gradually and slowly after a vigorous work out.

Tips to remember for avoiding injuries:
• Be fit.
• Properly check the equipment.
• Warm before a match.
• Cool down after a match.
• Allow the body to adapt to high level of injuries.
• Give proper rest between workouts.
• Perform all exercises incorrect sequence.
• Don't try to over stretch the muscle beyond its limit.
• Perform exercises in correct duration and frequency.

Training during injuries:
Injury takes place in a player due to some or other reason, and then training should not be discontinued. Injuries rarely hamper the training session. Severe injuries can make the player bedridden for few days or few weeks but after these periods, exercise becomes an important part of the rehabilitation. Continuing the exercises makes the player fits. It prevents further injuries in the player which may develop due to lack of fitness.
Exercise programme given to the player at the time of injury will include all those activities that don't cause pain at the side of injury. Exercise programme mainly includes cycling, swimming, aqua aerobics/aqua running etc.