6 Common Football Injuries

Our products are trusted by over 85 elite teams, including...

6 Most Common Football Injuries 

Football can be very physically demanding although the sport has gotten a lot safer with rules that protect the players’ bodies more effectively as a result of changes made to fouls, misconduct and dangerous play. 

Although this helps reduce the likelihood of players picking up an injury; it does not eliminate it completely because a lot of injuries are caused by general stress and strain on ligaments, muscles and joints.

Another way a football player can get injured is from one-off injury incidents such as unnatural twisting of joints, landing incorrectly or any other acute injuries.

This creates many opportunities to get injured during training and matches so it is important for any professional athlete or sports enthusiast to be aware of the most common injuries and to seek treatment. 

You should note that this is intended as a guide for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As such it is not intended as medical advice. We recommend that you always seek professional medical help for injuries, treatment or assessment.

What is the most common type of football injury?

Knee injuries are the most common and include ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) and Knee Cartilage injuries.

The knee is an essential part of playing football so these types of injuries typically affect long-term performance and need to be managed very closely to make sure the knee heals properly.

Ligament injuries can be particularly detrimental to how the knee operates in the long term, especially if surgery is required.

How are football injuries treated?

You should never attempt to treat an injury yourself if you don’t have any experience or proper training to do so, sports injuries should always be managed and treated by a medical professional like a Physiotherapist or Physician. 

Our Sport First Aid Kits have everything a sports medical professional needs to address an injury when they're pitch side.

Many sports and soft tissue injuries can be addressed by the PEACE AND LOVE principle, and it is said to be more accurate and will eventually replace the POLICE Principle.

Supports and Braces are not an integral part of the principle but in most cases, they are useful for pain relief, medical compression, and proper support. We have convenient guides for Wrist Supports and Knee Supports that recommend Actimove Sports Edition Supports for specific conditions. 

Here is the information from the Infographic in more depth:

Hamstring Strain - Very common in football with varying degrees of severity, minor injuries can benefit from the PEACE AND LOVE Principle and anti-inflammatories. 

Anti-inflammatories usually refer to NSAIDS which are Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs such as Ibuprofen and can also include topical solutions such as Ibuprofen Gel but remember to avoid anything that will create heat such as Deep Heat.

In some extreme cases, steroid injections can help with acute injuries as well. Physiotherapy can help with recovery time but can range from a few days to months. 

Shin Splints  - Pain is concentrated in the front part of the lower legs, likely caused by repetitive strain but it is still unclear what the exact cause of Shin Splints is.

Pain along the Tibia (shin bone) is the most important symptom. The PEACE AND LOVE Principle is helpful, lots of rest can with recovery.

Ankle Sprain - An Ankle Sprain is a ligament stretch or tear and is very common in football, caused by ankle roll or similar damage. The PEACE AND LOVE Principle and physiotherapy can help with recovery and treatment. 

A major ligament tear can be painful and take longer to heal than less severe injuries. 

Knee Cartilage Tear - This can be caused by a blow to the knee or from unnatural twisting and bending of the knee which can happen so many different ways when playing football. 

Pain and swelling are strong symptoms but they can be addressed with ice/NSAIDS and compression. Long recovery and strengthening excercises should aid in restoring proper mobility in the knee. 

ACL and MCL Injuries - This can refer to a complete or minor tear that can be caused by changing direction, sudden stops and pivoting with feet or a blow to the knee.

ACL injuries are one of the most common ligament injuries in sports. MCL injuries are also quite common in Football often occuring following a blow to the knee such as might happen during a tackle.

Physiotherapy is required to address as well as manage the injury and surgery may be required for severe cases. A knee support can help with stabilisation. 

Hernias & Groin Injury - These are common due to stresses to the pelvic area and the range of different movements the body makes when playing football.

Hernias get worse so please consult a specialist so that they can be dealt with properly and in a timely manner. 

Groin Strains cause pain, bruising and affect movement but can heal quickly depending on severity and recovery.

Further Resources:

We have some great videos in the Sports First Aid section of our video guides. We worked with professionals from elite clubs and teams from a range of sports including Football, Rugby, Netball, Hockey and more on videos that address sports first aid topics. The videos cover areas like addressing pitch side injuries, top tips, can't live without sports first aid products, things the team's sports physios and therapists wish they knew when they were first starting out and 'What's In My Bag' which looks at what a professional pitch-side first aid kit contains.

You can find the full range of videos here:

Sports First Aid Videos

Sources and References:

BUPA - Common Football Injuries