The Dangers of Youth Soccer: Protecting Our Kids from Injury

When my boys were young, I subscribed to the theory of keeping them so busy that they didn’t have time to get into trouble. For the most part, that meant sports. Both of my sons played all the sports. Football, baseball, soccer, basketball, and even track (my youngest held the school record in the 400m for over 10 years!).

It worked, for the most part, and so I feel the same way about my grandchildren. My twin grandsons, Cash and Dane, are 11 now, and certainly stay busy with different sports. In fact, they make my own sons look lazy! They do all the sports mentioned above, sometimes in the same week, and occasionally in the same day! Between club soccer, all-star baseball and Friday night lights, I can’t keep track of what field to show up at on a given day.

With all this activity comes an added risk of danger. Youth sports, even more so than when my sons were children, can put young athletes at a high risk of injury. More than 2.7 million children under 19 are injured every year playing sports or participating in recreational activity.

While football and basketball players receive the highest number of injuries that require medical care, soccer, which is presumably a non-contact sport, carries a high risk as well, with over 188,000 young athletes injured annually. Some common types of injuries are strains and sprains, repetitive motion injuries, heat-related illness, and bone or growth plate injuries.

Turf burn is another cause of soccer injury, with over 55% of soccer injuries related to skin abrasions. Soccer players hit the ground hard, so no matter what the field surface is like they are at risk for turf burn. And it isn’t limited to shins and knees. Arms, shoulders, hips, and torsos are all at risk.

Skin abrasions hurt. And because many players play through injuries, they often go unreported, which can lead to infections. Any skin abrasion is extra dangerous in locker rooms, where the risk of staph infection is frequently high.

Learn more about the dangers of turf burn in this article Dr. Raymond Rocco Monto.

So how can we keep our children safe when they play soccer? Obviously, we can’t cocoon them and prevent injuries entirely, but there are some things that can be done to decrease injury risk.

Dangers of Youth Soccer: Keeping Our Kids Safe

Coaching – The coach sets the tone for play, and a good one will not only know the game well but will insist upon fair play and good sportsmanship. There is no place for violent play in a game like soccer, especially youth soccer, so aggressive behavior should be strongly discouraged.

Parents – Parental support of the coach and positive play is essential. Children learn good sportsmanship behavior from their parent, so it is vital to set a good example. They are always watching.

Pre-season conditioning – There is growing evidence that pre-season conditioning and balance training can reduce the incidence of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and other knee injuries.

Field Conditions – Poor field conditions increase the risk of injury. The field should be inspected for holes or irregularities and the goal posts should be secured.

Weather Conditions – In hot weather conditions, care must be taken to ensure the safety of the players. They should be encouraged to stay hydrated, have a shady area to cool off, and the game should be called if extreme conditions dictate.

Technique – Club soccer rules have recently been updated, and new rules dictate that U-11 players should not engage in heading, either in practice or matches, and that U-12 and U-13 players should limit heading in practice. Proper heading technique should be learned and adhered to.

Protective Clothing – While protective clothing can’t completely protect a player, new technology has improved the quality of protection offered. Don’t forget that safety equipment should be worn during practice as well as on game day (62% of sports-related injuries occur during practice).

Storelli is the only company dedicated to providing protective clothing for soccer players of all genders, ages, and performance level. They are partnering with superstar soccer athletes like  Casillas and Oscar to spread the word about the dark side of the beautiful game. With their support and belief in the product, young players report that wearing the protective gear helps them feel fearless, protected and confident.

In the past, very little protective equipment was worn while playing soccer. Storelli now offers gear targeted to protect the player from turf burn, including field player sliders, leg and arm sleeves and guards, complete upper body protection, and head and neck protection.

Dane and Cash both reported that they felt empowered with their new leg sleeves (well, their words were “we feel tough and cool.”) They are already excellent soccer players, so I know that extra confidence will help them play even better.

Do you have children who play soccer? Wearing the correct safety equipment and clothing can help protect them from soccer injuries including turf burn. You can save 15% on your purchase at Storelli.com with the code BURN15. And of course, all protective equipment is available in adult sizes too.

Special thanks to my daughter-in-law Lisa for capturing these great photos.

 

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