Why the sudden increase in injuries of kids 12 to 17 years of age?
It was said that the increase in injuries did not correlate with the increase in number of children playing. Because of this, we can’t account the rise in popularity of soccer in the states. It seems, however, that our young athletes are learning to be more aggressive in the game.
“Most injuries happened when a player was struck by another player or the ball, or from falling.” –HealthLine
Types of Injuries
- Sprains and strains accounted for 35% of injuries with fractures following closely behind.
- Soft tissue injuries fell in the 22-23% range.
- Concussions fell in the 7% range.
Injury prevention programs?
There are new programs to help reduce injuries in adolescent athletes. There are even studies assessing the efficacy of those said programs. Injury prevention programs (IPP’s) are a combination of warm-up, strength training, balance training, and assessments of the individual athlete in their field of play.
The study compared normal practice routines with the new IPP’s. What they found was that extra attention can go a long way. IPP’s significantly reduced team sport injury rates. There hasn’t been a clear understanding as to how it helps but the evidence is there none-the-less.
By: Stephanie Jones
Sources:
http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/STOP/STOP/Prevent_Injuries/Soccer_Injury_Prevention.aspx