Soccer is the biggest sport in the world and one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States. According to a 2019 Gallup Survey, 31% of Americans consider themselves a soccer fan. About 3.9 million U.S. children and adolescents play the game each year.
But like any sport, there are risks involved. All the quick changes in direction and lateral movements in soccer put players at risk for spraining ankles, straining hamstrings, tearing ACLs, and more. There’s also a risk for concussions.
Dr. Christopher Ahmad, the chief of sports medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, shared with Health Matters three common soccer injuries and the best way to prevent them.
Watch his tips in the video above.