1). Hamstring Injury
During sprinting activities in football the Hamstring muscles can be forcibly stretched beyond their limits and the muscle tissue can be torn. A tear in a muscle is referred to as a strain and, depending on its severity, it is classified as a first, second or third degree strain.
Hamstring muscle strains accounted for almost 40% of Premiership injuries in the 2004/2005 PhysioRoom.com Analysis of Injuries. The Hamstring muscles work over both the hip and knee joint and can become susceptible to injury due to fatigue.
2). Sprained Ankle
A sprained ankle is one of the most common injuries in football. It refers to soft tissue damage (mainly ligaments) around the ankle, usually caused when the ankle is twisted inwards
As well as damage to the ligaments, the capsule which surrounds the ankle joint can also be damaged. The damage causes bleeding within the tissues, which produces a swollen ankle and ankle pain.
3). Knee Cartilage Tear
A torn cartilage occurs fairly frequently in football. Cartilage tears accounted for 12% of all Premiership injuries in the PhysioRoom.com 2004/2005 Analysis of Injuries. The term cartilage tear is slightly misleading, since it is the meniscus within the knee that is actually damaged. There are two menisci within each knee joint that are made from tough fibrocartilage – hence the use of the term cartilage for this injury.
As the knee joint bends the thigh bone usually rolls, spins and glides on the top surface of the shin bone. However, if there is rotation caused by a twist whilst the joint is bearing weight, the menisci can get jammed and nipped in between the two bones. If the force is sufficient, a tear of the meniscus will occur.
Cartilage tears are usually accompanied by pain and knee swelling. If it is a small tear if may simply settle down. However, with larger cartilage tears, the flap of torn cartilage may interfere with joint movement and cause the knee point to lock or give way.
4). Hernia
Hernia and groin problems are common in sports, particularly in football where the pelvic region is subject to large stresses during kicking, sprinting and turning. Two common conditions that affect footballers are an Inguinal Hernia and Gilmore’s Groin (also known as a Sports Hernia).
Following sporting activity the person with a sports hernia will be stiff and sore in the groin region. The day after a football match, getting out of bed or a car will be difficult. In the early stages, the person may be able to continue playing their sport, but the problem usually gets progressively worse.
5). ACL injuries
This is the tearing of the ACL ligament — one of the major ligaments in your knee The ligament in the knee can become damaged or torn when a player is impacted from the front or rear. These type of injuries can be managed through, general rest which is necessary for healing and limits weight bearing on the knee. Ice treatment is also vital and it’s recommended at least every two hours.
Wrapping an elastic bandage or compression wrap around your knee is also another method of treatment as well as lying down with the knee propped up on pillows.
