by Matt Midkiff PT, DPT,CSCS Gilbert-Mesa Director of Sports Medicine Arizona Arsenal SC
The transition from club, to high school soccer, and back to club is one of the most physically taxing times on our high school players. Staying healthy during the high school soccer season is crucial in order to perform your best on the field and minimize the risk of injuries.
Year after year, we see more injuries during this time frame that, for the most part, is due to overuse with increased practice time during November and also an increased number of games in a shorter time during the high school season.
These injuries range from ACL injuries and ankle sprains to far less significant joint tendon aches and pains.
3 Tips to Minimize Injury
There are several simple but significant things players can do to minimize injury and do their best to stay healthy during high school soccer season.
#1 Prioritize recovery. It is so essential as practice times and game demands go up that our athletes get adequate sleep (8 hours minimum), eat regularly, meet their macro nutrition needs, and are constantly hydrating. As there is less time for recovery, controlling the recovery process is essential.
#2 Work on mobility and flexibility. Overworked muscles get sore and tight, and muscles that maintain good flexibility and length are less likely to suffer overuse injuries. It is essential to stay on a mobility and flexibility program.
#3 Work on functional strength. This is tough due to decreased free time, but maintaining lower body and core strength during the season is a win for injury prevention. Due to reduced time and fatigue often, strengthening exercises are neglected, and while maximal strengthening should not be performed during this time, taking 20 minutes twice a week to do single leg strengthening and core exercises is incredibly important to reduce injury.
Stay tuned for additional posts providing a sample mobility program and a sample functional strengthening program that can easily be performed in 20 to 30 minutes at home during the high school season.
Success Equals Staying on the Field
As always, athletes cannot be successful for their team if they are not available to be on the field. Injuries can take time away from the athlete doing what they love, which can be extensive if the injury is severe. It’s so important that our athletes take care of their bodies during the most stressful time of the year to give them the best chance to stay healthy, perform for the high school team, and come back even more vital for the second half of the club season.
Has a soccer injury put you in need of physical therapy? A licensed physical therapist from Foothills Sports Medicine can assess the problem with a free injury assessment and develop a treatment plan to prevent future serious damage. Request an appointment at one of our Valley-wide locations. We’re ready to get you back on the field and show you how to avoid future injuries.
