As one of the most popular sports among children in America, soccer is on the radar of most doctors of chiropractic who want to educate parents on how to better protect their child athletes. Here, we’ll take a closer look at protecting your children from soccer-related injuries.
Soccer is an excellent sport for exercise, endurance and teambuilding. As with any sport, it carries its risks, which in soccer can include mild to severe head trauma, neck injury, spinal damage, headache, neck pain, dizziness and more. According to recent studies, each year children under age 15 suffer more than 227,100 soccer-related injuries. That makes protecting your children from soccer-related injuries all the more important.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to soccer-related injuries.
Heading the ball
Heading the ball is a part of the game that is helped greatly by proper coaching technique. Concussions have been documented to have resulted from improper technique when heading the ball. Some doctors suggest holding off on heading until children are 10 or 11, and some even suggest that young athletes should be 14 to 16 before they head the ball while playing.
Helmets
Some school districts now require helmets for young soccer players. While helmets do offer protection, they do not replace the need to educate children on safety and injury prevention.
RICE
If injury does occur, the American Chiropractic Association suggests RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation of the injury. Do not apply ice for longer than 20 minutes at a time, and leave it off for an hour in between applications.
Other Safety Recommendations
Other safety recommendations include:
- Teaching and use of proper handling technique
- Use of smaller balls for younger players
- Rule enforcement
- Goal post padding
- Mouth guard use
And as with any sport, proper nutrition and hydration is critical protecting your children from soccer-related injuries by keeping them in proper shape.
For more information on protection and injury prevention, call Advantage Chiropractic Clinic today at (334) 821-2552.