If you enjoy either playing football or watching football, you’ll know there are many different types of injuries yourself or a player can sustain along the way… some worse than others. In this year’s Euros we have seen a lot of players suffer with their fair share of injuries which has no doubt affected certain games and possibly who will end up in the final this coming Sunday.
Due to it being football season were seeing a lot of patients suffering from football related injuries, similar to that of the ones we are also seeing professional players go through. This is because at ALO we are proud to be the leading TECAR centre in London, and many of our patients depend upon TECAR therapy. We see great success treating injuries such as quad tears, hamstring tears and ankle injuries with TECAR therapy, and given the nature of football – most injuries fit these criteria of lower limb.
Sadly, there have been many pro-players in the Euros this year that have injured themselves to the point of not being able to play again! A particular sadness for us when our very own Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool right back sustained a quad tear after a friendly against Austria in the beginning of June and has been out for the duration of the tournament. We’re hoping for an injury-free game for England tonight that takes us through the upcoming final!
Here is a list of the most common injuries you can expect to see or have already seen during the Euros so far.
Sprains!
Players, especially tricky attacking ones, will twist and turn and move themselves around to bamboozle opposition defences. This trickery can result in an ankle being sprained, not least because the moves happen at such a pace that the legs cannot always keep up with what the head is asking them to do. A ‘sprained ankle’ typically tends to mean soft tissue damage, mainly of the ligaments, around the ankle itself.
Knee Cartilage Tear
This injury is not as common as you might think, typically accounting for around 12% of top-level injuries. It perhaps just feels like it happens quite often because it can be quite serious and can reduce a player’s playing time. The knee has two menisci within it that are made up of strong fibrocartilage. If the knee bends or twists incorrectly whilst bearing the weight of the upper body this cartilage can tear, especially if it gets caught between the thigh and shin bones. A seriously knee injury can end a player’s career. Joe Gomez, Liverpool centre back has been out since November with a tendon injury to his left knee.
Hernias
Footballers ask their bodies to do a lot in general, but they ask a huge amount of their groins. The groin region tends to lead the movement of a player, with hips twisting and turn and legs running. Kicking, sprinting, and stretching are all activities that put pressure on the pelvic region. If a player gets a hernia, then they might be able to carry on playing to begin with, but the injury will start to take its toll until they can no longer function properly. Many of our patients who we treat for football related injuries, will continue to see us after their treatment. This is because we offer Clinic Pilates, which is great for core strengthening and aiding in injury prevention. An essential for any sports person who knows that an injury can be a huge set back when you’ve got upcoming tournaments and may mean missing out altogether.
ACL
This is the injury that we frequently see in our clinic and that most people associate with footballers because it has gained notoriety in recent years. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is found deep in the knee and is the ligament that connects the thigh bone to the shin bone. It is there to stop the shin from moving too far past the thigh and to limit the knee’s ability to rotate too much. An over-extension of the knee, perhaps when landing on it from a jump, can cause damage to the ACL.
If you believe you may be suffering from a football related injury and could benefit from TECAR Therapy or Clinical Pilates, why not book a FREE 15-minute discovery visit?
In this complimentary visit you will have a chance to speak to a physio about your needs/and or condition/concerns and he will let you know if physio is right for you.
To book an appointment or a discovery visit, call us on: 0207 636 8845