Soccer is a sport that taxes the entire body. Players need speed and endurance for the extensive running during a game, strong legs to move the ball down the pitch and upper-body strength to handle sliding tackles and other physical contact. The temperature on game day also can place tremendous stress on the body.
Types
Sources of stress on the human body from soccer include ankle and knee injuries, and cuts and bruises and broken bones from physical contact, such as headers and sliding tackles. Players also can suffer heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Soccer players at all levels, from youth clubs to professionals in the world's most prestigious leagues, can suffer these injuries and stresses.
Significance
A soccer season that begins in the fall does not necessarily mean cool days. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America points out that preseason training sessions and the season's early games often occur on hot days, increasing the threat of heat-related stress on players. Headaches and feelings of weakness are early warning signs that, unheeded, can lead to severe heat exhaustion. The association emphasizes hydration with water as an essential step in preventing heat exhaustion.
Risks of Heading
Heading, in which players strike the ball with their heads, is a common maneuver in soccer, but a potentially dangerous one. Opposing players attempting to head a ball in play may collide, raising the risk of head injuries. A report in the journal, "The Physician and Sports Medicine," notes that head injuries account for up to 20 percent of all soccer injuries in Europe. Injury can result from head-to-head contact between players or even hard strikes from the ball. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics' sports medicine committee suggests that children who play soccer may be at even greater risk of head injuries from heading, the risk extends to adult players as well, including professionals.
Prevention/Solution
Combating the physical stress in soccer requires physical training and healthy habits. Players should participate in strength training to build muscle and physical endurance. They should eat proper diets that include lean meats, healthy carbohydrates and fruits and vegetables. They should limit processed or fatty foods. Players also should drink plenty of water and pay attention to injuries -- even minor ones -- to prevent them from growing worse.
