Soccer, or futbol as it is known in other countries, is the most popular sport in the world and continues to gain traction here in the United States. There are an estimated 265 million registered soccer players in the world this year alone. Soccer is not only gaining traction amongst athletes in the US, but it is also the most watched sport in the world. The 2022 Men’s World Cup Final had over 1.5 billion viewers around the globe.
Many injuries may occur while playing soccer, but the most feared injury is an ACL tear. ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament, and it gives the knee stability by limiting how far forward the tibia can move relative to the femur. When the ligament is torn, it will likely require surgery to return the athlete to the same performance level they were competing in prior to injury. Recovery will take 9+ months and will require extensive rehabilitation prior to returning to the sport. Doesn’t sound fun, right? Well good news, there are some steps you can take to decrease your chance of this injury occurring.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) developed a series of preparation exercises to perform before every training session. The program is known as FIFA 11+ and this exercise series has been shown to reduce the risk of ACL injury. The program requires no additional equipment and is very time efficient, as it takes only 10-15 minutes to perform.
The FIFA 11+ program has 3 main parts:
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Running Exercises – Consists of straight line running, dynamic warmup, light contact drills
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Strength, Plyometrics, Balance – Consists of core, hip, & leg strength, single leg balance, jumping
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Running/Cutting Exercises – Consists of higher intensity sprinting, bounding, & cutting drills
View the PDF of the program from FIFA 11+.
In addition to the FIFA 11+, athletes need to manage other aspects of fitness as well. Nutrition, hydration, sleep, and stress management all play a role in injury prevention and performance. Here are some helpful tips to prioritize this season:
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Ensure you are sleeping at least 7-9 hours each night
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Ensure you are eating a variety of foods, prioritizing proteins, vegetables, and fruits at every meal
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Ensure you are drinking at least half your body weight in water every day (150 lbs = 75 oz of water minimum every day)
If you want to learn more about injury prevention, reach out to your local PT Solutions team. We offer free injury screenings to help identify weak areas and can give advice on how to decrease your risk of injury through exercise and lifestyle modifications.
