Each year, more than 480,000 soccer-related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and emergency rooms. Approximately 75 percent of these injuries are preventable. The best protection from injury is correct warm-up and conditioning which can help you avoid unnecessary injury that can ruin the season.

Here are some other useful tips to prevent soccer injuries:

• Always take time to warm up and stretch. Research studies have shown that cold muscles are more prone to injury. Warm-up with jumping jacks, stationary cycling or running for three to five minutes. Then slowly and gently stretch, holding each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds

• Wear shin guards to help protect your lower legs.

• Wear shoes with molded cleats or ribbed soles. Shoes with screw-in cleats often are associated with higher risk of injury. However, shoes with screw-in cleats should be worn when more traction is needed, such as on a wet field with high grass.

• Use synthetic, nonabsorbent balls on wet playing fields. Leather balls can become water logged and very heavy when wet, putting players at risk for injury.

• Do not crawl or sit on the goal or hang from the net. Injuries and deaths have occurred when goals have fallen onto players.

• Soccer goals should be well-padded and properly secured. Padding the goals decreases the incidence of head injuries when the goalie and other team members collide with the posts.

• The playing surface must be kept in good condition. Holes on the playing field should be filled, bare spots reseeded and debris removed.

• Be knowledgeable about first aid and be able to administer it for minor injuries, such as facial cuts, bruises or minor tendonitis, strains or sprains.

• Be prepared for emergency situations and have a plan to reach medical personnel to treat injuries such as concussions, dislocations, elbow contusions, wrist or finger sprains and fractures.

• Proper nutrition and hydration are important. A bad diet will prevent you from recovering from training sessions making you more prone to injury. You must drink plenty of water, especially when the weather is hot.

• If you are in good condition, then you are less likely to get injuries. Good all-around conditioning will balance the body and help you avoid injuries.

• Be sure to include rest in your training program. You are not training when you are training, you are training when you recover. And be sure to get enough sleep.

For more information about how to prevent soccer injuries, speak to a specialist at Saint Vincent Sports Medicine, 814-835-2035.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a health care professional.