Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world today. It is also a youth sport in the United States that is growing in popularity and sees children as young as 3 or 4 joining organized leagues. Like any sport, soccer brings with it physical and social benefits. But the nature of the game can have much more drastic influences on your children's health.
Aerobic Exercise
Soccer has players constantly in motion, walking, running, and sprinting up and down the field to follow the ball and the rest of the action. It is normal for players logging long minutes to run several miles in a single game. Though you may not realize it, this kind of aerobic exercise keeps the heart and breathing rates elevated for the duration of the game, resulting in cardiovascular exercise that keeps the heart healthy, lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and improves circulation, among other benefits.
Weight Control
Obesity is a growing concern in the United States, particularly among children. Soccer can serve as a partial antidote to weight problems, encouraging aerobic exercise that burns several hundred calories an hour and promotes healthy exercise habits. This can prevent the occurrence or reduce the severity of obesity, improving your overall health.
Social and Mental Health
Exercise like the kind provided by soccer can repress the production of stress hormones in the body, leading to less stress and anxiety felt during the day. You also benefit from the team-oriented nature of the game, which forces you to develop communication skills and work with others. The sense of community found on a soccer team can improve emotional health as well.
Lower Risk of Injury
Injuries occur in every sport, but some are more dangerous than others. Football is notorious for inflicting concussions on players despite the use of helmets. Players hit by a fast-moving softball can suffer a deep tissue bruise at best, or broken bones and severe trauma at worst. Soccer players are only required to wear shin guards and protective cups over their genitals. Impact injuries above the knees are rare, resulting in fewer serious injuries that require hospital visits and can lead to long-term consequences.
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