WHETHER YOU PLAY for Manchester United, Real Madrid or a Sunday League team, at some stage a football injury could happen. What is important, is knowing how to deal with it. Football is great and everybody loves playing the game, but if you are injured, you should stop playing and tell someone or you could make that injury worse.
INJURIES NEED TIME TO HEAL FULLY. IF YOU ARE HURT, ALWAYS TELL A RESPONSIBLE ADULT
Sprains or a twist of the ankle are very common football injuries. They do heal well if treated properly. If they are not looked after, then they can cause a lot of pain and leave a player on the sidelines for longer than they should be. When a player hurts an ankle, it is very painful. The problem is that the really sore pain that is felt when it first happens, lessens quite quickly. When this happens, players think they are better and return to playing football straight away. The pain has gone down, but the injury has not fully healed. The player will end up hurting it again in the very next game. Back on the sidelines in no time!
"I played against Juventus at 60%, I had a really bad feeling."
Frank De Boer reveals to football4football about not letting an ankle injury heal fully.
This is what happens when a body part gets injured:
- The body part gets damaged.
- The brain responds by making that body part swell (this stops it from being used)
- The body wants to heal itself, so sends blood to the injured part (swelling)
- The injured part needs to have the swelling controlled straight away (normally ice is put on it)
- The ice reduces the pain and swelling.
- The injured person then goes to see an expert (Doctor or Physiotherapist)
- Once the expert has said that there is no serious damage the player should then rest.
- Sometimes a protective strapping or support is used.
- Once the pain has gone away, some gentle exercise might be used to get the body part moving normally again.
- After the pain has completely disappeared, then gentle walking and jogging can be tried (after an expert says it is ok to do so)
- When this can be done, light football training is tried.
- After a player can do everything without pain that they could do before the injury, then a return to full training is allowed.
"If dealt with early, an injury can be looked after better."
M.Cohen: Physiotherapist
ALERT: Injuries need to be dealt with straight away.
Every football injury should be treated in the same way. Tell an adult, and if serious enough, go and see an expert.
Taken from http://www.football4football.com/